


The Listening

by Scriptor_Bellum



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Anti-Monster Sentiment, Blood, Blood and Violence, Female Reader, Multi, Other, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Poor Blooky, Poor Mettaton, Racism, Reader is a Sweetheart, Reader probably has a green SOUL, Slow Burn, Speciesism, Violence, idk what else to tag this as BUT tags will be added as I write more, poor everyone tbh
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-06-20
Updated: 2018-12-03
Packaged: 2019-05-26 01:32:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 8
Words: 24,854
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14989832
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Scriptor_Bellum/pseuds/Scriptor_Bellum
Summary: Life tends to change a little when you find a ghost-robot near death in front of your workplace. Who knew?Napstablook/Reader (female reader)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The last thing I need is to start another story, but... the idea came to me and honestly I can't bring myself to turn down a good idea like this. :D
> 
> ANYWAYS... at first blush, this probably seems like a Mettaton/reader, but it's not, I swear! We're just setting up the scene and all. Don't worry, you'll get to interact with Blooky on a more coherent level once they start feeling a bit better.
> 
> So! Here we go, let's start this off right... and don't forget to leave a comment if you liked it!! Comments feed me. <3

To be fair, finding someone passed out in front of the local human resource center isn’t shockingly uncommon.

People who are alcoholics, drug addicts, or homeless (or all three, once in a while) frequently take advantage of your services. They’re not the only ones, of course, and their issues don’t make them bad people, not by a long shot, and homeless people aren’t automatically also addicts. That being said, it’s happened before that you come to work for the first shift only to find somebody who’s either drunk or high lying unconscious near the door.

By no means are you a stranger to this kind of experience. What you are a stranger to, however, is the fact that not only is the unconscious person a monster, they’re barely breathing. You’ve never discovered anyone here who was a monster, and everyone you’ve found has at least been obviously alive.

This person? It scares you that you aren’t sure if they’re alive.

You know some basic first aid, but this person – robot? – is covered in a thick blue fluid that you’re pretty sure is their ‘blood’. There are cuts and gashes all over their body. Some of them are so deep that you can see wires, and you’re confident that you shouldn’t be able to see a robot’s wires.

You phone is out immediately, fingers quickly dialing 911 as you kneel beside the monster. “Oh, my God…” You give their shoulder a gentle shake, although you’re hesitant to move them much. If they _look_ this messed up, who knows how badly they’re actually hurt? The last thing you want is to make their injuries worse. “Hey. Hey, can you hear me? Who did this to you?”

Aside from some shallow breaths and a whimper of pain, they don’t respond.

This is bad.

There’s a click in your ear, then a woman’s voice. _“911, what’s your emergency?”_

Your mouth feels dry. This is the first time you’ve called 911 for any reason relating to your job. “I, um… hi, I… there’s… I need an ambulance. There’s a monster passed out by the front of the building, and I think – I think they’re… bleeding? Oh, my God…”

“ _Okay. Stay calm and focus on my voice, okay? Are they responding?”_

“N… no…” you manage to get out. This poor monster. What are they doing here? Who did this to them? Who would want to hurt another person like this? “I touched their shoulder. They’re breathing, and they made a sound, but I don’t think they can talk to me…”

The sound of clicking keys meets your ears before the dispatcher speaks again. _“Okay, what’s the address?”_

Your mind goes blank for a moment. “U-uh, I… what… it’s…” Damn it, your brain needs to work. There’s no time for this. A few seconds later, everything seems to pop back into place. “I-it’s 201 Lynch Road. The human resource center.” Something flashes into your mind, and you add to your answer as fast as you can. “P-please make sure they know to take them to a monster hospital!” A human hospital might not have the tools necessary to treat them; to say nothing of the fact that it’s a gamble which humans are accepting of monsters and which aren’t. This monster can’t afford to take the risk that the staff of a human hospital might refuse to treat them.

“ _Okay, honey, I dispatched an ambulance, it’ll be there in about five minutes,_ _and they’ll take_ _the monster_ _to First Mercy_ _.”_ That seems way too long to you considering that a person’s life is at stake. There’s nothing you can do, though, because that’s how long it’s going to take. Unfortunately, this stuff can’t happen instantly. _“Can you stay on the line with me until_ _they_ _get there?”_

Before you can say anything, the monster makes another sound and stirs slightly. Their eyes open, and they’re electric blue and beautiful and they don’t seem to be focusing. “Oh… oh… no… no… no…” It sounds like their voicebox is glitching. “H-h-h-h-h-help… I… I can—can—can’t…”

You stare down at them for a moment despite the fact that they can’t seem to concentrate on your face. “U-uh… oh… oh, my God. They opened their eyes. I think – I think they’re try to talk to me, but they’re not… they’re not focusing…”

“ _Okay. Can you tell what they’re trying to say?”_

“Not really… they’re asking for help, I think. And saying that they can’t… can’t something? Their voicebox is, like, skipping or something… like a record.”

The monster lets out another whimper similar to the first one they gave when you shook their shoulder. There are tears gathering in their eyes, and it seems like they’re trying to get deeper breaths in. “H-h-h-help… help… oh… no… no… who’s… who’s th-th-th-the-e-e-e-e-e-e-ere…?”

Instinctively, your hand moves to stroke their hair in what you hope is a comforting manner. Their hair is long, a little tangled, and covering the right side of their face. It’s also blindingly white and streaked in places with that blue liquid. “Hey, it’s okay. I’m (Name), and I work for the human resource center. I found you by the door, and I called an ambulance for you. They’re gonna be here soon. Can you tell me your name?”

“No… no… h-h-h-help…” This monster is so out of it. They asked you a question, and it seems like they’re just not able to hold a conversation. They heard what you said, probably, but all they can focus on is the fact that they’re in pain and need help.

You try to talk to them again, with much the same result as the first time. The 911 dispatcher tries to talk to them, too. There’s nothing different about the way they answer her than the way they answered you.

When the ambulance arrives, you help the EMTs and paramedics get the monster onto the rolling bed and watch as they’re loaded in. You’ve barely moved at all when one of the EMTs comes down to hand you a phone. “Hey, they wanted me to give you this. They said to call their emergency contact and let them know what’s going on, if you can. One of us would do it, but I think we’re gonna be too busy trying to keep their vitals up during the ride to call. Are you okay with doing that?”

“Uh… yeah…” You guess you kind of have to be. Although you’re sure that one of the EMTs would figure out a way to call the emergency contact if you said you couldn’t do it, it would be a lot better to have you do it. “Yeah, I can do that. Just… just take care of them, okay?”

The EMT smiles at you, then gives you a thumbs-up as he heads back into the ambulance. “Don’t worry, we’ll take great care of them. Just let their emergency contact know they’re headed to First Mercy, okay?”

You nod, and watch the ambulance drive off, sirens blaring and lights blinking.

What a way to start the morning.

* * *

Your hands are still shaking when you sit down at the reception desk and unlock the phone. The background on the phone is a picture of what looks like a tank full of snails, with a heart-pattern filter over top of it. That’s… interesting. You flick to their contacts as fast as you can, and there are only a few staring at you in alphabetical order. _Dr._ _Alphys – Frisk – Madsta – Mettaton._

The last one makes you do a double-take. Mettaton? As in, the superstar robot who has a couple of original albums in addition to having like ten different shows on TV? How does this person know him? And Frisk… that name seems familiar, too.

The emergency contact list holds two of the four from their regular list of contacts. These are in a different order – Mettaton is shown as Emergency Contact #1, and Dr. Alphys is shown as Emergency Contact #2. This leads you to assume that you should call Mettaton first, and only call Dr. Alphys if you can’t reach Mettaton.

Alright, well, that’s what the monster wants you to do. Trembling fingers press down on the button to call Mettaton.

You still can’t calm down. Even though your heart doesn’t feel like it’s beating out of your chest anymore, you feel the need to get up and start pacing instead of staying in your chair. A few rings meet your ears, and vaguely you wonder if anyone is even going to pick up.

Finally, just before the fourth ring, there’s a click followed by a voice. _“Blooky, darling! I’m sorry, I’m still getting ready.”_ The voice is clearly male and sounds metallic. More metallic than most people sound on the phone. _“Do you need something? You’re not usually up this early. I hope you plugged yourself in last night instead of staying up on low power mode until all hours of the–”_

“U-uh, hello, is this Mettaton?” Try as you might, you can’t stop the anxiety from spilling over into your speech.

“… _Yes.”_ His voice halts, and when he speaks again, there’s a darker tone in his words. _“My turn. Who are you and why the hell do you have my cousin’s phone?”_

Oh, so that’s how they know Mettaton. They’re his cousin. That makes sense; they’re both robots, apparently. “S-sorry, I… my name is (Name) (Surname), and I’m a r-receptionist at the, um… the human resource center. I came in for – for my shift this morning and… found your cousin by the door. They were p-passed out, covered in… cuts and… I-I think blood? It was blue… and they were b-barely breathing…”

“ _WHAT?! What happened?!”_ It’s a good thing you’re still trying to think of what you’re going to say next. _“Are they okay?!”_

“W-well… I called an ambulance… they showed up a few minutes ago…” You swallow hard as you keep taking steps. This is bad news for anyone, and clearly Mettaton is worried about his cousin. “They took your cousin to First Mercy. Um… your cousin… they tried to talk to me, a little, but… I-I didn’t really get any information… they were in a lot of pain, so they couldn’t tell me anything. I-I have no idea what happened. That’s just the way I found them. They should be at First Mercy soon, so…”

There’s heavy breathing on the other end of the phone, and some noises you could swear are crying. _“T… thank you, darling. I’ll head over there right now. They should be alright, but… oh, my God. I was wondering… I sent texts last night to ask… after they left my house, but… they never answered. I… I figured they just went into sleep mode, because they never ignore my texts otherwise.”_

You nod despite knowing that he can’t see you. “Y-yeah… the one EMT gave me their phone and… told me they wanted me to call you. Whatever happened, it… it must have happened between when they left your house and when I found them… I-I’m really sorry. I would have gone with them, but… but I’m the only person here at the center right now, and… t-there wouldn’t have been room in the ambulance, and I don’t – I don’t have a car, so I couldn’t follow…”

“ _Darling, it’s alright. Don’t worry about – about any of that. I just… thank you. Thank you so much for getting them some help and for letting me know where they are. I’m going to head over there. Again, thank you, thank you so much.”_

“Y-you’re welcome… just make sure they’re alright, okay?” Your mouth feels dry again, like you’ve just bit into a cotton ball. “I, um… I wish you guys the best. And – and if you can, would you let them know that they’re in my thoughts?”

The giggle that Mettaton gives sounds… bittersweet. Not that you blame him. _“O_ _h, of_ _course I will. You’re a_ _dear_ _._ _Thank you. Goodbye, sweetheart.”_

With that, the other end of the phone goes silent. Looks like he hung up.

You pull the phone away from your ear, and tap your way out of the contacts. The picture of the snails gets your attention for another moment, then you carefully slide the phone into a drawer in the desk. Best to keep it safe if anyone comes for it.

It’s only once you’ve closed the drawer that you notice that the phone on your desk is ringing. Well, the human resource center has been open for about fifteen minutes, technically, and this _is_ your job. You take a breath to calm yourself before picking up the phone. “Good morning! Ebott Human Resource Center, (Name) speaking. How can I help you?”

“ _Yeah, hi. Can you give me the number for that free clinic thing? I saw a sign for it the last time I was there, but I didn’t have time to write down the number.”_

Your muscles go a little lax. Okay. The day is probably going to be normal from here on out.

“Sure, let me get that for you.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You work through your shift while looking at Mettaton's social media for updates about Napstablook and checking out Napstablook's social media page. You realize that they are..................... WAY. TOO. CUTE.
> 
> Also, someone's here to see you like as soon as you clock out. Guess who?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AH GOSH, you guys are too sweet with the comments!! I've actually been working on like... nothing _but_ this fic ever since I started it. I'm already knee-deep into writing chapter 5, and I've written over 10,000 words in like two days. Thanks to my stress levels at the moment, lately it's been a struggle to write 500 without it feeling like a chore.
> 
> It's nuts, but a good kind of nuts. I can't believe how much motivation and inspiration I have for this fic so far.
> 
> Anyway, thank you to everyone who left a comment on the first chapter!!! :D Remember to leave a comment if you like this one! Comments are the main thing that motivate me to keep writing. <3

The day passes by in an agonizingly slow way.

Given that your duties are mostly secretarial, your boss allows you to have your phone out and mess around with it once in a while as long as you’re getting your work done. Answering and making phone calls, making schedules, doing some PR stuff for the resource center. You don’t usually get on your phone too much during a normal day. If you do, it’s to check your email or scroll through social media for a minute before getting back to your work. Other than that, your phone sometimes serves the purpose of playing quiet music for you. It can go a whole shift without having to be plugged in most of the time.

Today, you’ve got your phone plugged into the outlet, and it’s open to Mettaton’s social media page. Every so often, you refresh it to see updates. You want to see if he makes any comments about his cousin’s state; he’s fairly active on social media on any one day. You won’t be embarrassed about the fact that you’ve been following him for a while, and he typically posts at least one thing a day.

At the moment, his page is practically blowing up. He’s posting more than he does on most days, and is getting a lot of comments, too.

A lot of the posts today are accompanied by pictures.

The first one is a photo of a hospital room, with Mettaton’s cousin lying in the bed. It looks like there are some wires attached to them, and some other equipment that you can’t really identify. They’re also covered in… medical tape? There’s medical tape on all their wounds.

 _Good morning, beauties and gentlebeauties._ _I’m here at @First Mercy hospital with my cousin, Napstablook @Napstablook_ _22_ _. They’re not in very good shape. All I can do is guess about why, but my best guess is not a very nice one. I think they were attacked. They were found unconscious and injured at @Ebott Human Resource Center._

_A HUGE thanks to @(Name)_(Surname), the receptionist who found them. She called an ambulance for them and let me know about the situation. Thank you so much, darling. I owe you._

_The staff here is doing their best to keep Blooky stable until Dr. Alphys is available. Unfortunately, as amazing as First Mercy is, they don’t have a huge robotics department. They’re doing what they can, though._ _Suffice to say I’m going to be taking the day off._ _If you’re the type to do so, please pray for them. If not, please keep them in your thoughts._ _ <3 _

It tugs at your heartstrings quite a bit. As flashy, theatrical, and over-the-top as Mettaton is, it seems like his cousin is the most important thing to him. And he actually… mentioned you by name? You assumed he would have been too distraught to even remember your name, let alone give you a public thanks like that.

The next post doesn’t have a picture.

_This is so nerve-wracking. Even though Blooky is still breathing and most of their systems are online, they’re really in a lot of pain. They only opened their eye once, and it didn’t seem like they were focusing on me even when I said their name. It breaks my heart to see them like this. Thank you to everyone for your kind words. We appreciate them a lot, darlings. <3_

After that is a picture of what looks like a yellow… dinosaur? Lizard? Sitting by Napstablook’s bedside and talking with a monster who appears to be a doctor.

 _Thank goodness!! Alphys @KISSYCUTIE_A_ _LPHYS_ _is here._ _She’s a robotics and engineering expert, and as soon as she flashed her ID, the doctors here started talking with her about Blooky’s treatment._

_It sounds like the plan is to shut down their systems briefly… kind of like shutting down a computer. That sounds scary, but it won’t put them in any danger. It’s similar to anesthesia. Once they’re shut down, Alphys and the other doctors will do some fiddling around with the wires that were exposed by the deeper wounds. Then some… welding or soldering? To close up all the wounds. I don’t know, exactly. I should know, but I don’t really handle my body’s repairs, so the technicalities of it are a bit beyond me._

_Once all of that is done, they’ll reboot Blooky’s systems so they wake up. After that, recovery. Alphys said she isn’t sure how long it’s going to take._

_Fingers crossed that everything goes well._

Then comes a picture of Napstablook, with their eye just barely cracked open, and it was shot at an angle that allows you to see that Mettaton has their hand in his. There also seems to be a ghost of a smile on Napstablook’s lips despite the fact that there are a good number of scratches visible on their face.

 _Blooky’s about to go into surgery with Alphys and the other doctors. The actual process shouldn’t take too long._ _Two or three hours, I think Alphys said. That makes sense to me, because she’s an absolute genius. She’ll get this done._

_They opened their eye a little for me and squeezed my hand. I said their name, and they said mine. Also, they want me to thank @(Name)_(Surname) for them. So thank you again, darling. I know you said they weren’t very responsive, but they want to make sure you know they heard everything you were saying._

_I think they’re scared. I am, too._

_Prayers and thoughts would be really appreciated again. Thank you, darlings. <3_

That’s the last of the posts you can see for now. Although you keep refreshing the page in between doing your duties, it was two hours ago that it was posted, and nothing new has been posted since.

You’ve followed Napstablook’s social media page. Obviously there’s nothing being posted there right now, but after checking to see if there’s an update from Mettaton, you peruse their page a little during your ‘breaks’. They don’t post a lot like Mettaton does; their posts consist mainly of music-related things they’ve shared or posted themselves, and pictures of snails. The snails all have names. One post involves a picture of three different snails on top of a table that’s been painted to look like a racetrack, with the caption, _playing thundersnail…………… the most fun snail racing game…………….. ever. oh………… well…………… maybe…… maybe it’s………… maybe it’s the ONLY……………… snail racing game ever…………………_ _oh…………………………………_

This monster is absolutely adorable. Their number of followers is displayed on the sidebar, and you wonder why they only have like a quarter of the followers that Mettaton does. Maybe they’re trying to stay out of the spotlight?

Your lunch hour rolls around, and you eat while still looking through Napstablook’s page. Some older posts mention that they’re ‘lying on the floor, feeling like garbage’ with Mettaton. Any time that someone comments on one of their posts, even if they seem nervous about answering, they always make a point to say, _thanks for commenting………,_ and they end each reply to anybody with an endearing _c:_ _,_ even if the other person wasn’t exactly polite.

There are a couple of selfies of them in various outfits – a tank top and shorts, a baby blue t-shirt with a cartoon ghost on it and a black skirt, a silvery sweater and denim jeans. Some pictures show their hair loose, some in a ponytail, some in a bun. Most of the captions of their selfies are things like, _do I………… look okay……………………?_ or _this outfit……………………… probably looks dumb………………………………………_

You wish you could tell them how cute they look in all these pictures. Reading their more self-deprecating posts gives you the urge to just give them a big hug. They’re undeniably shy and anxious without much self esteem.

Scrolling through their page makes the feeling resurface that you really want them to be okay. Did somebody really hurt such a kind person? For what reason? What would causing this sweet monster pain accomplish?

… You should get back to work instead of thinking about the answer to that question. The answer might be ‘nothing’, and you just can’t comprehend someone wanting to hurt someone else just for the sake of hurting someone else.

You pick up the center’s phone to call someone about a rescheduling. There’s going to be a crafts exhibition and sale here for the holidays, and it turns out that your supervisor accidentally booked it for the same day as a winter break festival for school-age children. Since the children’s event was scheduled first, you have to call and let everyone who’s participating in the crafts event know that it’s been rescheduled for the following day instead of the original date.

Hopefully there won’t be too many people angry about it.

* * *

The next time you pick up your own phone to check for any updates from Mettaton, it’s been half an hour since you looked at it. That’s about how often you’ve been looking at it, and this time there’s something new. It says it was posted fifteen minutes ago.

There’s a picture of a young child, with slightly dusky skin and brown hair cut in a bob cut, sitting next to Napstablook’s bedside and holding their hand. Mettaton is also in the picture, his hand on the child’s back. There’s still medical tape over Napstablook’s injuries, but at least they’re cleaned up now, and it looks like they’ve got an IV (you think??) in their arm. Probably pain medicine.

 _Well, thank God! Blooky is finally out of surgery._ You can practically hear the relief and smile glowing through the text. _They’re doing well, all things considered. Alphys says most of the wounds were superficial enough that they’ll be healed in a week or so. A couple of the wounds were deep, and she says those will probably take anywhere from two to three weeks to heal completely. Magic will speed up the healing process, but it’s not exactly a miracle cure or anything._

 _Frisk @monsterambassador got here, as well! Toriel pulled them out of school early when she heard from Asgore @GoldenDreemurr (who heard from Alphys) that Blooky was hurt. Frisk is such a little darling, sitting by Blooky’s bed._ _They were crying earlier when they first got here… I think they’re okay now, though._

_Blooky’s sort of awake now, but they’re on low power mode. Alphys plugged them in, and they’re just resting right now. They did give Frisk a smile – I didn’t get it on camera, though! I think Blooky is going to be okay._

_It just makes me so angry. Who did this? WHY?? I can’t imagine anyone being capable of hurting someone like Blooky. They would never hurt a fly. They don’t deserve this._

… _Well. Asgore is on his way with some of the local police. I suppose they’ll want to talk to Blooky, so we’ll have to get them awake enough to at least answer some questions._

 _This is absolutely unacceptable,_ _and it makes me so angry_ _. Whoever did this, I WILL make sure they are caught and punished._

 _In the meantime, although I’ll still be working on_ _my projects_ _when I can, my energy is going to be focused on Blooky until they recover._ _Everyone’s just going to have to deal with the absence of humanity’s star._

_Since everyone else is here now and Blooky is stable, I’m just going to step out for a bit. I think I need some air._

Wow, that was his longest post so far. Presumably he wanted to leave everyone with something considerable to read since he might not be posting for a little while.

Still… it’s all good news, for the most part. Napstablook seems to be doing well now that they’re out of surgery. They’re surrounded by friends. Someone is coming with the police to try and figure out who did this, then to capture them. You breathe a little sigh of relief as you put your phone away… but not before noticing the time.

End of your shift.

You get up from the chair, and head to clock out. As you do so, you let your supervisor know you’re leaving; once you leave, she takes over your duties until the center closes.

When you get back to the front to collect your things, you’re stunned to see an eight-foot-tall robot standing in the lobby.

And it’s not the one you helped this morning.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You go with Mettaton to the hospital and are greeted by a gaggle of grateful monsters, plus the police. When was the last time people just welcomed you into their group with barely any questions...?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo. Next chapter we'll get some Blooky interaction in! Treasure it tho, because after that they'll be out of the picture for a few chapters. But, you'll get to know the others a little more and start getting into some new friendships. Also some drama in the next few chapters. There, uh... there's a reason I added the 'slow burn' tag because that's what it's gonna be, whoops. XD
> 
> Anyways! I drew Blooky in one of the outfits they took a selfie in. :D [Look how cute they are!](http://variantia.tumblr.com/post/175256249869/here-comes-napstablook-seems-like-they-want!) (Mettaton got them that shirt! He picks out all their clothes because "I love you, Blooky, but if I let you go shopping by yourself, you'll come back with nothing with grey sweaters, ripped jeans, black ankle socks, and a single scrunchie")

You and Mettaton make eye contact, and slowly you move to grab your bag. Then you open the desk drawer, pulling out Napstablook’s phone. That’s probably what he’s here for, right? “Um, hi… I believe we spoke earlier?”

He’s every bit as colorful in real life as he is on the screen. Tall, with a pink, black, and silver color scheme, and wearing low ankle boots instead of the high-heeled ones he usually wears. As put together as he always seems, it doesn’t surprise you a bit that he looks rather  disheveled at the moment. He does manage to give you a tired smile, though. “I suppose we did. You must be (Name), then? Oh, darling, I can’t thank you enough.”

What shocks you is that he strides right over and pulls you into a hug. It doesn’t last too long, but the sentiment behind it is real. “Thank you, thank you. Blooky could have been a lot worse off if you hadn’t found them and called for help.” He lets go with a sigh, reaching to comb his fingers through his bangs. “Really, darling, I owe you big-time. Blooky is… I… I really don’t know what I would do without them, if they… ugh. They’re just very important to me.  They deserve a lot better.”

“Yeah… they seem like a really nice person.” You give him a smile and hand over Napstablook’s phone. No doubt they’ll want it back once they feel well enough to need some distraction from pain. “Here’s their phone, by the way.”

“Oh – thank you!” He laughs as he takes it from you, shaking his head. “Thank you, sweetheart. I’ve been such a mess, I almost forgot you had it.”

A chuckle leaves your lips. “Oh, my God. You’ve been thanking me a lot today. It’s okay, I mean… I’m just doing what any decent person would do.”

He puts Napstablook’s phone into his own bag and leans against your desk. “Ah, so you  _ have _ seen my posts. I was hoping you’d have some time to check your notifications, since it let me tag you. I wasn’t sure whether or not you were on that site and if that was your handle.”

“Yeahhhh… I’m pretty boring that way, just having my name as my handle.” You pull your jacket on, taking your phone out of your pocket. “Uh, but actually… I didn’t check my notifications. I’ve had your page up all day, and I keep refreshing it for updates and stuff. It’s probably weird, but I just… I wanted to know how Napstablook was doing. Hopefully that’s not creepy or anything.”

Mettaton’s visible eye flashes bright pink. He almost looks confused. “ Really? You’ve just been looking for how they are?” His expression softens, and when he smiles now, it looks much less frazzled. “My. I was right about you, you’re just a sweetheart. All of my coworkers and my manager have been upset that I’ve taken an indefinite amount of time off, and they’ve all been more upset about the fact that Blooky can’t be making music right now than about the fact that they’re hurt. Thank you – I’m sure Blooky will be happy to know you were concerned.”

“About that…” You chew on your lip for a moment, unsure of if your next question is going to sound insensitive or not. All you really want is to be able to see for yourself how Napstablook is doing and just say hello to them. “You can totally tell me to fuck off or something, if this is rude. It’s just… would it be… at all possible… if I could come visit them? Like I said, I dunno if that’s rude or not, coming from a total stranger… they just seem like such a nice person. I want to make sure they’re okay and see in person how they’re doing.”

Although you’re prepared for him to say no, you’re greeted with a pleasant laugh. When you look up, Mettaton looks a  _ lot _ more relaxed. He nods delicately and moves to open the door for you. “Actually, darling, I was coming to pick you up, and see if you’d ride with me. Toriel let me know that Asgore said the police would probably want to talk to you. I remember you said on the phone that you don’t have a car, so I figured I would stop in, take the chance to see if you were still here and take you there personally. While we’re there, I think Blooky would actually love to see you. You did save their life.”

“U-uh… yeah, I just got off my shift, so… I can…” Your cheeks flush as you step over to go through the door. “It’s not like I was the one who drove them to the hospital or patched them up… I didn’t really ‘save their life’…”

“Oh, but you did, sweetie.” He takes your hand and leads you outside. “Do you know how many people would have just walked by them? Listen,” he adds, walking you toward his car, “I don’t know if you’re aware of this, but very few humans in this city are fond of monsters. Out of the hundreds of humans who would have ignored Blooky, you were the one who didn’t. So many others would have found them and given no second thought to walking right past. You’re just as responsible for the fact that they’re alive as the doctors. Maybe more so. If you hadn’t called, the doctors would have been able to do anything. You’ve got my eternal gratitude, and I’m sure you have theirs as well.”

Your face is practically burning by now.

He doesn’t have to make it sound more noble than it was…

* * *

 

As it turns out, the hospital’s kind of been swamped by paparazzi and a couple of journalists. No doubt it’s because of Mettaton’s posts, but he muscles his way through all of them with practiced ease. He keeps your hand in his, and waves everyone off coolly. “Nothing to see here, darlings,” he calls as he pulls you toward the hospital doors. “Just bringing someone for a visit. None of you are getting into Blooky’s room, and if you try, so help me God, I will leave your career in shambles! Thank you very much, have a good day, go chase another story!”

The elevator ride is quiet, with Mettaton softly groaning about all those people outside. You get the sense that he’s more pissed that they’re trying to invade his cousin’s privacy than anything else. You definitely don’t blame him – it seems like being the center of attention would make Napstablook a million times more anxious than they already are.

When you get to the floor that Napstablook’s room is on, there are a couple of people standing outside the door. One is the yellow lizard from the picture you saw – Alphys, right? Then there’s a woman with blue skin, scales, and flaming red hair with her arms around Alphys, obviously trying to give words of encouragement. Beside them are a duo of skeletons; one of them is tall and skinny while the other is short and fat. The short one has what looks like a frozen smile, and the tall one is babbling to the fish woman about something. Finally there’s a monster who dwarfs all of them, and he looks like a goat, with curling horns, a blonde beard, talking to the police. If you had to guess, you’d say that’s Asgore, king of monsters. You know that he’s the king… it’s just that you’ve never actually seen him before. Frisk and Toriel are probably inside the room right now.

“Hello, everyone, I’m back,” Mettaton announces, walking over with you in tow. “Sorry I was away a bit too long. But look, I brought something! Well… some _one._ ”

Everyone’s eyes immediately turn to you, and you’re not quite sure how to react. It’s rare that you have everybody’s attention on you. You slowly raise a hand and offer a smile to them all. “Uhh… hi. I’m (Name).” Lame introduction. Oh, well.

The one who speaks up first is Alphys. “O-oh, my God! You’re – you’re the one who f-found Napstablook!!”

“She is indeed,” Mettaton replies, giving you a pat on the back. “Not only did I figure the police might want to talk to her, she actually wanted to come visit and see how Blooky’s doing. Isn’t she just a doll?”

Your face turns red again. “Well… I-I dunno about that. But… yeah. If it’s okay, I’d like to see them.”

“O-of course that’s okay!” Alphys is squeezing the hand of the fish woman, and looks relieved as all get-out. “Y-y-you saved their life!!”

There comes that ‘saved their life’ thing again. Does everybody really think it’s that big a deal? You can’t fathom just walking by _anyone_ who needed help, and you don’t feel like they should be giving you gold stars for doing the bare minimum of being a decent person. “I… I didn’t, really, Dr. Alphys. You and the other doctors did.”

Oops. Now Alphys’ face matches yours. “O-oh, no… I mean… th-that’s stuff I do e-every day… w-we wouldn’t have even been able to do it if you didn’t c-c-call 911!”

“Excuse me.” A soft but low voice cuts through everyone else’s chatter. It belongs to Asgore, who’s stepping forward with the couple of policemen behind him. He has very kind eyes, and is giving you an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry. But Miss (Surname), if you wouldn’t mind… Mettaton is right. These two would like to speak with you for a moment, if that’s alright. After that, you can visit Napstablook for as long as you’d like.”

Being in the presence of a king is enough to send another dose of humility washing right over you. You bow your head toward him, trying your best to be respectful. It suddenly occurs to you that you’re still kind of shaking. “Y-yes, of course, Your Majesty. Thank you.”

Silence follows for about five seconds… before a snicker breaks it. When you look up, you see that it’s coming from the fish woman, and she’s still laughing. “Oh, my God! Asgore!! Did someone just call you _Your Majesty?!_ WHAT?!”

“I don’t believe anyone has ever done that!” the taller skeleton pipes up. “With all due respect, King Asgore, it doesn’t suit you!”

Asgore chuckles, a warm rumbling that comes from somewhere deep inside his chest. “You’re right, Papyrus. She’s just trying to be polite.” He looks back toward you, that same smile on his features. “You are terribly considerate, Miss (Surname). But, please, there’s no need to be so formal. Just _Asgore_ will be fine.”

The way he says it makes you feel much less inclined to be embarrassed about it. It doesn’t seem like any of them are making fun of you – they’re just laughing at their very personable king being referred to in such a proper manner. It actually helps ease your nerves a little. “O-okay. Thank you.”

Mettaton sweeps past you and puts his hand on the door handle. “Darlings? I’ll be headed inside for now. (Name), do feel free to just come on in when you’re done with the officers, alright? All I ask is that you do so quietly since Blooky’s trying to rest.”

“Y-yeah, of course!” you answer. That was something you were planning on doing anyway. “It shouldn’t be too long.”

“See you soon, sweetie.” He gives you another smile before disappearing into Napstablook’s room.

You take a deep breath, and then head over to talk to the police.

* * *

 

Talking to the officers doesn’t take very long at all, as you hoped it wouldn’t. They ask you some simple questions – what time it was when you found Napstablook, exactly how you found them, if you saw who did this, if they told you anything, that sort of stuff.

You do your best to keep calm as you answer. It was about 7:15 when you found them; that’s when you show up for work since the center opens at 7:30. They were covered in ‘blood’ and injuries, unconscious when you found them, and even when they woke up, they had trouble speaking and focusing. You have no idea who did this… which sucks because it means they could be running around hurting other people right now. There was nobody else there, just a monster who was in very bad shape and who had, beyond a shadow of a doubt, been attacked. And unfortunately, Napstablook couldn’t tell you anything. All you remember them saying, or trying to say, was that they needed help and that they “couldn’t” do something.

After you finish talking to the police, they head back over to speak with Asgore again, and you turn to go into Napstablook’s room. To your surprise, you almost run smack into Alphys. “O-oh! Sorry, Dr. Alphys!”

“Oh, n-n-no, that was my fault!” She smiles shyly and squeezes the fish lady’s hand. “A-and… you don’t have to call me… th-that, okay? Um. You can just… call me Alphys. I-if you’re okay with that.”

“Yeah… yeah, thank you! And, uh… you don’t have to call me Miss (Surname) like King Asgore did, haha.” Hopefully she knew that already. No harm making it clear, though, right? “Uh… how’s Napstablook doing now?”

Her shoulders move up and down in a shrug as she glances toward their room. “They’re okay, I-I think. Some of their injuries were… were p-pretty serious, but… they should, um, make a full r-recovery. I just… I can’t even imagine… w-who could do something like this…?”

“Some piece of fucking garbage,” the fish woman speaks up. Well… it _was_ what you were all thinking. Aside from a bad person, who would be able to hurt someone as nice as Napstablook? “When I find out who did this, they’re getting a punch in the face full of justice!”

Alphys lets out a soft giggle, tilting her head toward the other woman. “M-my wife, Undyne.” That’s absolutely for your benefit. At least you know her name now. She seems kind of intense, but… not a bad person. “She, um, she used to be N-Napstablook’s neighbor, back in the Underground.”

You smile at Undyne, holding out your hand for her to shake. “Oh, nice to meet you.”

Undyne’s grip is… certainly something. After she lets go of your hand, your fingers feel sort of numb. “Nice to meet you too, (Name)! We really owe you for making sure Napstablook was taken care of. Also, thanks for making sure they sent our little weenie to First Mercy! Human hospitals around here probably wouldn’t have treated ‘em.”

“Oh, uh… n-no problem.” Your smile stays right where it is, even though you also shake your hand a bit. Undyne doesn’t seem to mind. “That was… kinda my thought, honestly. I’m really glad they’re doing better now. I’ve been watching Mettaton’s posts all day for updates, and I even checked out Napstablook’s page. They seem like such a sweet person…”

“They’re a wimpy loser,” Undyne grins. “But they’re a wimpy loser with a big heart. More importantly, they’re _our_ wimpy loser!”

Alphys nods in agreement. “This is the f-first time I’ve had to fix them up… a-aside from a scrape or two. Th-they’re always so careful with their body and t-take such good care of themselves. I… I can’t believe this h-happened… I mean… i-if you came along… m-maybe just an hour later… they… they m-m-might have…”

Your heart goes out to her, and you reach to put a hand on her shoulder. She’s not just their doctor, she’s obviously their friend, too. Thinking that they could have died is scary. It’s not anything that anybody should ever have to go through. “Yeah, but fortunately, things happened this way, and they’re okay now. Things could have turned out worse, so… so it’s better to focus on the fact that they didn’t. You know? Think about how lucky they are that things turned out like this instead of thinking about what _could_ have happened. Easier said than done, I know… but, I mean… Asgore and the police are gonna make sure whoever did this gets caught.”

Alphys just seems to stare at you for a moment, her eyes wide behind her glasses. Finally, she smiles, and reaches to wipe tears from her eyes that you didn’t even know were there. “Y… you’re right… thank you, (Name). It could have been w-w-worse, but… it’s not. It’s going to be o-okay. Napstablook is going to be fine, a-and they’re gonna take care of whoever d-did this to them.” Her claws fidget together for a few seconds before she shifts her eyes to the floor. “U-um. Is it… is it okay if I… if I give you a hug…?”

You don’t get the chance to answer. Immediately, you and Alphys are both pulled into a hug by Undyne. “ _NGAHHHH!_ ALPHYS! (NAME)! Just hug each other, you sappy losers!! Bring it in! You’re both right! Things are gonna be okay! SO BRING! IT! IN!” Wow, she is _extremely_ strong. You’re pretty sure you hear something in your spine crack.

It’s only when Undyne stomps on the floor a few times that the door to Napstablook’s room opens. Out pokes the head of a very annoyed-looking Mettaton. “Undyne, darling. What did we say?”

“…” Undyne looks no less irritated. “‘I promise not to disturb Napstablook, and the second I do, Mettaton has the very reasonable right to kick me out of the hospital.’”

“And what are you doing, darling?”

She scowls at him, then just hugs you and Alphys harder. “Hugging the shit out of these nerds because they’re both TOO NICE!”

“And the side effect of that is getting Blooky all riled up because you’re loud. They are trying to _rest,_ Undyne.” Mettaton gives her a look that’s very clear in its meaning. “I love you, sweetheart, and I appreciate you being here, but you’re getting a little too rowdy now. For heaven’s sake, even _Papyrus_ is toning it down. I’m kicking you out for the day. You can come back tomorrow if you’d like.”

Undyne scoffs and lets go of the two of you. At the very least, she doesn’t seem half as angry about this as you assumed she would be. “Fine, fine. I’ll get outta here, you glorified toaster oven.” She gives Alphys a kiss on the cheek and grabs her jacket from a nearby chair. “My time’s better spent seeing if I can do anything to help Asgore and the cops, anyway. You gonna be here for a while, Alphys?”

Alphys blushes before giving Undyne a nod. “Y-yeah, probably. Don’t, um, don’t s-stay out too late, okay? I-I’ll… I’ll probably be home by seven.”

“Gotcha. I’ll try not to be far behind. Just gonna see what I can do for King Fluffybuns and the fuzz. I’ll bring home some takeout for dinner so we don’t have to worry about cooking.” Another kiss, this time to Alphys’ lips. (Or… the equivalent? It looks like a ‘mouth’ kiss to you.) “You guys all take care of yourselves.” She shoots a look toward Mettaton and smirks. “Even you, you prissy microwave. Alright, see you guys later!”

When she walks past you, she gives your shoulder a friendly squeeze. “And hey, thanks again, you dork! Like I said, we owe you.”

You smile and keep your eyes down. “N-nah, you really don’t. But you’re welcome.” Why does everyone think you deserve some kind of medal for this? All you really did was dial a number and alert Mettaton to what happened. Are they really that surprised that you’re not a monster-hating asshole? Those are low standards for decency. It makes you wonder if other people really _would_ have walked past a monster in need. That thought is… chilling. “Take care of yourself, Undyne. Hopefully I’ll see you again!”

“Oh, you can _bet_ on that!” she grins. “ _Ja ne,_ see ya later!”

Your eyes follow her for a moment before she steps onto the elevator. It looks like she’s already got her phone out; after the doors close, you look back toward Alphys. “… Japanese? This is probably rude, but, like… do monsters have nationality like that or…?”

Alphys laughs softly. “W-well… kind of? But Undyne isn’t Japanese. S-she just picked up a few phrases from all the anime we watch together! She likes the subs, and it’s weird, like, we both do, kind of, but if we’re in that sort of mood where we just wanna be lazy and not read what the characters are saying, dubs are pretty cool, too! Some of them are good quality!”

There’s a clicking sound, and when you look back toward the door to Napstablook’s room, it’s Mettaton. Clicking his tongue and shaking his head. At Alphys? “Alphys, darling, you’re rambling again.”

“O-oh… hah, sorry!” She gives you a sheepish look. “I, uh… I do that w-without thinking sometimes…”

Do they both think it’s a big deal or something…? It was kind of endearing how excited she got about something she loves. “Hey, it’s okay. Anime’s awesome, and it’s cool that you wanna share something you like with people!”

Her expression shifts into a nervous smile. “A-aw, thank you… I, um, I just… you know. I asked M-Mettaton to remind me… if he notices I’m d-doing it. It’s just… just something I’ve been… t-trying to control better.”

“Yeah, I get it! Nothing wrong with that. Just, you know, you don’t have to _not_ ramble for my benefit. You’re a nice person, and I like talking to you.” You pull your phone out of your pocket, holding it out to her. “Which reminds me, is it okay if I get your number? … And maybe Asgore’s number, if he has one? I wanna keep in contact with you guys. If there’s something I can do to help or if I get any new info, I’d rather talk to you guys first, see if it could be relevant before going to the police.”

There’s that wide-eyed look again, then she nods eagerly. “S-sure, of course! Oh, my God, you’re so nice.” Her claws wrap around your phone and she taps a few things. “I’ll give you e-everyone’s numbers, okay? And I’ll take down your number to give to them?”

You nod back at her. “Yeah, that’s fine with me!”

“Speaking of you, darling!” Mettaton calls. Oh, right. He’s… still poking out of the door. “Why don’t you come on in for a little bit now? I told Blooky you were here to see them. Their face turned blue and they gave me the most adorable, tiniest smile I’ve ever seen. Also, I posted that, and now everyone’s asking for a picture of you with Blooky. Is that okay?”

That gets your attention. Are they really that happy you’re here to visit? Oh, God. They’re too cute. As for Mettaton’s question… “Oh, well… as long as they don’t mind, that’s okay with me.” You turn to Alphys, who apparently is already done entering numbers into your phone. “Did you get my number to give the others?”

“Y-yep, I got it! Thank you!” She hands your phone back, then makes a motion with her hands as if she’s sweeping you toward Napstablook’s room. “N-now – now you go see them! K-keep their, uh… spirits up, okay? They’ll… they’ll heal a lot better if they’re h-happy and relaxed.”

“Oh… yeah, of course.” Slipping your phone back into your pocket, you step toward the door. “I’ll be their official cheer-upper. See you later, Alphys?”

“U-uh-huh! See you!” With that, she shuffles on down the hall, seeming to try and catch up with one of the doctors who just passed. “E-excuse me, Dr. Kaylen! C-can I talk to you…?”

A hand grabs your arm, gently tugging you toward the door. “Come on, now, darling!”

Well, being dragged into a robot’s hospital room doesn’t happen every day. You don’t think you could manage to protest right now even if you wanted to.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You finally see Napstablook for the first time since the ambulance took them away. You only get a little glimpse of their personality, but... it just makes them cuter to you. Also, when will these people stop making you blush???

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ayyyyy, you finally get a little quality time with Blooky!! :D
> 
> Enjoy, they're so adorable~ <3

The room is more spacious than you imagined it might be. The blinds on the window are shut, and the lights have been dimmed – no doubt so Napstablook can rest more easily.

They’re lying on the bed with their eye closed, and the other eye… isn’t actually an eye, apparently. There’s something plugged in there, and your gaze follows it to find that it’s attached to a socket in the wall. Their charging cord, maybe? The last post of Mettaton’s that you saw did say they were on low power mode and plugged in. Every so often they’ll move their head around a bit, or shift slightly. Seems like they’re still in pain. Poor thing…

There are two other people in the room aside from you and Mettaton. One of them is the kid you saw in the picture on Mettaton’s page, the one who was holding Napstablook’s hand. Frisk? They’re still sitting in the same chair they were in before. At the moment they aren’t holding Napstablook’s hand, but they’re hunched over the bedside table, drawing or coloring. The other person in the room is a monster who looks very similar to Asgore, goat-like, without the horns that he has, probably just a few inches shorter than Mettaton, and she’s sitting next to Frisk with a book in her lap. Toriel, you assume.

“(Name),” Mettaton calls, and you’re a little surprised that his voice has dropped to a hushed whisper. That’s a volume you weren’t sure he was even capable of. He gestures toward the monster, then to the child. “This is Toriel, the queen of monsters, and this is Frisk, our ambassador.” He waves toward Toriel, carefully leading you toward the two of them. “Toriel, Frisk, this is (Name). She’s the young lady who found Blooky at the human resource center and called an ambulance for them.”

Toriel closes her book in an instant, and when she looks up at you, you’re stunned. She has the same kind eyes as Asgore, she’s wearing a gentle smile, and the look on her face is indescribable. If you had to pin words to her expression, you’d probably choose _relieved_ and _tired._ Not that it’s a surprise. “Oh! It is good to finally meet you.” She extends her hand, shaking yours gently. Her voice is even and like honey and it makes you feel relaxed. “We are all so grateful to you. Our friend, spared because of the kindness of a single human. The monster community of Ebott City is in your debt, my child.”

There it is again. Does everyone really think they owe you for doing the right thing…? You care about people, and that includes monsters. That includes _animals,_ for goodness’ sake. There’s no way you would have walked by any kind of creature in need, whether they were another human, or a monster, or an animal, or a plant. That’s how it _should_ be. The fact that it isn’t echoes in your mind that something needs to be done. Even though this city is situated right next to the mountain that the monsters broke free from under several years ago, evidently it isn’t automatically more monster-friendly than any other city. That’s… disappointing.

You’re about to say something along those lines, maybe a little less articulate, when suddenly there’s a pair of tiny arms around your waist. You look down to find that Frisk is hugging you tightly, and there are small sounds that clue you in to the fact that they’re crying. “O-oh…” Your arms make their way down, carefully holding Frisk against you and patting their back.

Okay, for Frisk, you’ll try not to deny your role as much. They’re probably not even a teenager yet, still just a kid. As much as you know they’ve been through, the fact that their friend could have died has likely made a big enough impact to turn their world upside-down.

After a few seconds, Frisk pulls away, and starts to move their hands. They’re… signing? “Oh – oh!” You’re not fluent, but you’re pretty sure those repeated movements are ‘thank you, thank you, thank you’, from what you do know. “Sign language? I… I know a little bit… are you, um… thanking me?”

They nod. Their bangs almost cover their eyes, and are swept around by their movements.

“I can tell you what they’re saying, if you’d like.” Toriel reaches forward to draw Frisk up into her lap. They don’t make any move to protest, and soon they’re cuddled up in her arms. “They want to thank you very much for helping Napstablook. They are well aware that something worse could have happened to Napstablook, and they love all of their friends with their whole heart. They want you to know that… Frisk? What was that last thing?”

Frisk signs again, giving Toriel a smile.

Toriel laughs and nods before turning back to you. “They want you to know that you are – in their words – a ‘guardian angel’ for Napstablook.”

You’re fairly sure your face is bright red by now, and you’re also sure it’s probably going to stay that way. The amount of times you’ve blushed today is ridiculous. “Oh… uh, w-well… well, thank you, Frisk? I’ll… try to be the best guardian angel for them that I can be.”

Speaking of Napstablook, there’s a soft noise from their direction. When you glance over, you see that their eye is opening. It’s that same breathtaking bright blue, and this time they actually look over toward you. “… (Name)…? You’re… you’re h-here…?”

“Hey, yeah, I am.” You give Frisk a pat on the head before moving closer to the bed. “How are you feeling, Napstablook?”

“Better… than this morning… oh… I’m… I’m s-so… so sorry…” Tears start to well up in their eye. They blink a few times, undeniably distressed by whatever they’re apologizing for. “I… I was… so much… t-trouble… for you… I-I-I-I-I-I-I’m sorry… I’m s-such… such an inconvenience… oh… _I’m sorry…_ ”

You’re taken aback by their copious apologies. What in the world do they have to apologize for? It isn’t their fault somebody attacked them, and it certainly isn’t their fault you found them! Even if it was somehow their fault, that doesn’t mean they should think they’re an… inconvenience. How in the world can someone feel so low as to use a word like that in reference to themselves? “Oh, hey, hey, no…” You reach to take their hand, tenderly running your thumb over the backs of their fingers. “Nothing that happened was your fault. I _wanted_ to help you.” Your other hand lifts up and starts combing through their hair, like you did this morning. “Finding you and getting you some help was kind of scary, sure, but… it wasn’t an inconvenience. _You’re_ not an inconvenience.”

They look surprised, and one tear slides down their face. The sound of vents or fans or something gets louder than it was a moment ago. You’re not sure if they believe anything you’re saying. Like you remember from looking at their social media page, they’re extremely insecure and seem to think nobody wants their company. You would think the fact that no less than eight people showed up to the hospital to see them would prove that wrong. “If… if you knew me… you wouldn’t s-say… such nice things…”

“Blooky,” Mettaton speaks up, moving to the other side of the bed so he can hold Napstablook’s other hand. “Now, you listen to me. _I_ know you, and you are absolutely not an inconvenience. We all love you so much. We want to take care of you. None of this is your fault. Do you think we would all be here right now if you were ‘just an inconvenience’? Honestly. I swear I’m going to have Alphys add some _confidence coding_ to your next update.”

That gets a little laugh out of Napstablook, and they move to look over at Mettaton. “I’m… I’m sorry…” they murmur, tears still making a steady trickle down their cheek.

You grab a tissue from the box on the table and gently dab at their tears. Is it your imagination, or do their tears… make your fingers burn a little…? Regardless, you press on to try and clean them up. “You don’t have anything to be sorry for, Napstablook. It’s like Mettaton said, we care about you and want to take care of you. Every life matters even if you don’t feel like you do. You matter to a lot of people. I mean, I barely know you, and you matter to me!” You keep wiping their tears away even as more come. “Hey, speaking of that – I looked at your page earlier and saw a lot of snails. Those are your pets, right?”

“Y… yeah…” It seems they at least realize that insisting they’re a burden isn’t going to fly with any of you. “I have… a lot of them… I think… twenty…”

“Wow, really? That’s so cool.” You smile down at them, and sit down when Toriel cautiously pushes a chair toward you. Not only do you want to get them away from the negative thoughts – Alphys did say they’d heal better if they felt better emotionally – you’re also genuinely interested in their life. “That’s a lot of snails. You must be really responsible.”

Napstablook’s face flushes blue, and they blink a few times. After a few seconds, a small smile forms on their face. It isn’t anything grand or flashy, but it’s very sweet and it suits them more than a huge grin would. “… T-thank you… I… I really… love them… a lot…”

You wipe away the last of their tears, and toss the tissue into the trashcan. “Aww, that’s great. I bet they love you a lot, too! Hey, can I ask… what do snails eat, anyway? Like, what do you feed them? Sorry if I’m being annoying, but I’ve never known anyone who has pet snails.”

“Oh… no, it’s… it’s okay… you’re not annoying… you couldn’t be…” They give your hand a little squeeze as they close their eye. A few deep breaths pass their lips, and it’s really nice to hear that instead of the shallow, labored breathing you heard from them this morning. “You’re… you’re nice. Usually… nobody really… cares about my snails. Um… they eat… mostly fruits and vegetables… you know… lettuce… stuff. One of mine… really likes strawberries… and one… really likes dandelion greens… and… they also need to eat… calcium. So… um… well… for that, I put… cuttlebone pieces in the tanks… so they can just… nibble on it… oh… oh, and… the freshwater snails… also need algae tablets… so… yeah…”

“Wow, no kidding! I guess the calcium thing makes sense… that’s for their shells, right?” This really is nice. It seems like Napstablook likes talking about their pets, and it’s fun to listen to them.

“Yeah… oh… wow… you’re really… really smart…”

“Nahhhh… that’s just common sense.” You give a shrug and scoot your chair a bit closer. Now that you’re done wiping their tears, your hand returns to sifting through their hair. It’s as soft as it looks, which means it feels like silk. “So, hey, here’s another question. Do snails need to drink water?”

A quiet sound makes its way out of their mouth; they sound content. “Ummm… not really… but… the land snails… you need to, um… mist them once… once or twice a day… to stay humid… and… the freshwater snails… well… that’s… that’s probably… self-explanatory… they… live in the water… so…”

You nod and then give a hum when it connects in your mind that, well, duh, their eye is closed so they can’t see you. “Wow. Oh, by the way, when I was looking at your page, I saw something about… Thundersnail? How do you play that?”

“Ohhh… well… it’s kind of like a race… with snails… you pick a snail… then you have two others… then… you try to… encourage the snail you picked… to reach the finish line…” They chuckle a little. “It’s kind of… strange… because… you would think… encouraging them would… help them win… but… sometimes… it just stresses them out… makes them feel pressured…” Their mouth turns down a little, and they sigh. “Then if they don’t win… it’s like… like their best wasn’t… good enough… so… I try to only… encourage them once… maybe twice… and I tell them it’s okay… if they lose. Because… it _is_ okay… they don’t need to… win things like that… to be good… they’re all… so good… I love them all so much…”

You smile, and stroke your fingers down their hair again. “Like I said, I’m sure they all love you, too. That’s really cool that you found a way to play with them without stressing them out. You’re a great owner and friend to them.”

“T-thank you… mmmh…” Their breaths are still deep, but they’ve gotten a little more even now that Napstablook seems to be calmer. “That… that feels really… good… ummmm… i-is it… okay if… can you… keep… doing that… with… with my h-hair…? Oh… oh… um… please…”

“Yeah, no problem. If it feels good, I’m happy to keep doing it.” You continue running your fingers through their hair. Not that you would admit it out loud right now, but it feels good to you, too.

Both of you fall silent, and nobody else speaks.

It’s only about a minute before a noise that sounds like whirring starts to fill the air.

Mettaton giggles. “Oh, my God, they’re snoring! Awwww, Blooky. They only do that when they’re really exhausted.”

You feel your face turn red.

… _Cute._

* * *

By the time you leave the hospital, it’s nearly seven o’clock. Even though you want to stay longer, you know you need to get some dinner and then some sleep since you work your normal shift in the morning. You do ask Mettaton whether it’s okay for you to visit again tomorrow once you get off work, and surprisingly enough, he lets you know that he’ll come pick you up again like he did today.

Toriel and Frisk leave around the same time you do, for mostly the same reason – the two of them need to get something to eat, and Frisk needs to go to bed since they have school tomorrow. Before they leave, Frisk gives you another hug, and Toriel affectionately ruffles your hair. She also tells you to “be good”. You all chatted while Napstablook was resting, so you know she’s a teacher… it’s probably a habit from that.

Napstablook is still in sleep mode when you leave, so you just give their hand a squeeze and tell them in a soft voice that you’ll be back tomorrow. You do wonder if they actually heard you or not; Mettaton tells you that it’s just like a human who’s sleeping, they may remember and they may not. He assures you that even if they don’t remember, he’ll let them know when they wake up.

What sort of impresses you is that Mettaton is going to stay at the hospital all night. It looks like he’s prepared to stay here day and night until Napstablook is released. That’s extremely sweet, and not something many people would do for their cousin. You’ve seen a lot of criticism of Mettaton calling him vapid and self-absorbed, and based on your experience with him in person, anyone who says things like that about him needs a serious reality check.

While you eat your comfort food for dinner, you scroll through Mettaton’s social media page again. There are a few new posts, but one in particular catches your eye.

It’s a picture of you, sitting at Napstablook’s bedside. The angle shows off the fact that you’re holding their hand as well as the image of you running your fingers through their hair. Mettaton’s commentary is short and sweet, and thinking about the memory makes you feel warm inside.

_(Name) (Surname) came by for a visit! She’s such a darling, wanting to make sure Blooky is alright._

_I’m awfully surprised that she knew the right things to say to calm them down. They kept apologizing and she just… was so patient with them._

_Then she started asking about their pet snails. Nobody ever asks about Blooky’s snails!! Oh, my God. This is so adorable. She keeps asking questions and seems genuinely interested in what Blooky has to say._

_I can’t even. Look at the two of them. It’s so sweet. <3_

That one sentence, “Look at the two of them”, and the heart emoticon at the end are what get you the most.

You’ll be surprised if your face isn’t permanently stained red by now.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get a bunch of texts from a bunch of different monsters. Apparently, monsters are weird; they've only known you for like a day, and already they all seem to really care about you. Also, you have to deal with someone who's... shall we say, not exactly on your side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WOW, this is only my second week back to work and only working weekends but it's kicking my butt. My head apparently always has to hurt during my shift, and the store was so busy today I didn't even get to eat my lunch. XD
> 
> Alrighty, so! Here's some of that Good Stuff and some of that Bad Time. Also Papyrus is a major cutie, protect this skele.
> 
> **TRIGGER WARNING this chapter for racism/speciesism/anti-monster sentiment, and misgendering.** If any of those are gonna trigger you or make you uncomfortable, please tread carefully!!
> 
> Enjoy the feels! There are many of them this chapter, and will be many more in the following chapters as well. <3
> 
>  
> 
> ~~No more Blooky yet, but c'mon, y'all knew what you were getting into when you clicked on a story with the Slow Burn tag. XD~~

So it turns out that when Alphys said she gave everybody your number, she really did mean _everybody_.

You wake up to more texts than you’ve ever gotten in your life. Some of them are short and simple, some of them are a bit longer, some are multiple strings of texts in a row, some are just a single text. It’s sort of nice to see that so many people want to talk to you, even if it’s just a line or two. Although you do have friends, it’s been a while since you opened your phone to find quite this many texts.

* * *

_[unknown number_ _1_ _]:_ _HELLO, (NAME)! IT IS I, THE GREAT_ _**PAPYRUS** _ _, TEXTING YOU! DR. ALPHYS WAS KIND ENOUGH TO GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER!_

_[unknown number_ _1_ _]:_ _PLEASE TEXT ME IF YOU WOULD LIKE! OR CALL ME. CALLING IS FINE TOO._

_[unknown number_ _1_ _]:_ _ALSO, IF YOU WOULD LIKE MY SOCIAL MEDIA PAGE, MY HANDLE IS COOLSKELETON95. I AM VERY POPULAR ON THE INTERNET!! I HAVE ALMOST 50 PEOPLE FOLLOWING ME!!!_

_[unknown number_ _1_ _]:_ _ADDITIONALLY, I WOULD LIKE TO PERSONALLY THANK YOU FOR AIDING NAPSTABLOOK. THEY ARE A VERY KIND_ _MONSTER_ _AND WILL MAKE A FULL RECOVERY THANKS TO YOU._ _IT’S VERY NICE TO KNOW THAT THERE ARE GOOD PEOPLE_ _AROUND WHO ARE_ _LOOKING OUT FOR OTHERS._

_[unknown number_ _1_ _]:_ _YOU ARE ALMOST AS AWESOME AS ME!!! :_ _D_

* * *

  _[unknown number_ _2_ _]:_ _HEY NERD, IT’S_ _**UNDYNE**_ _!_ _Alphys gave me your number!_ _I’m not much for texting or calling, but go ahead and JUST DO IT if you need something. AND I’LL BUG YOU IF I REALLY NEED TO!! FUFUFU_

* * *

  _[Asgore]:_ _Howdy_ _, (Name),_ _t_ _his is_ _**Asgore**_ _! I hope this message finds you well. Alphys told me she put my cell phone number into your phone, so I thought I would just let you know that I have yours as well. Please feel free to text or call me if you discover more information, or if you need anything_ _at all_ _._

* * *

  _[Alphys]:_ _hi, (Name), it’s_ _**Alphys**_ _. just texting to say hi and I hope ur having a good morning! text me back when u can, if u want c:_

* * *

  _[unknown number_ _3_ _]:_ _Hello. This is_ _**Toriel** _ _. :_ _) I do not text much, to be honest with you… but if there is something you need or just want to talk, you are welcome to come to me, (Name)._ _If you don’t mind talking to an old lady, that is. Haha._ _Please have a good day!_

_[unknown number_ _4_ _]:_ _Good morning, darling, it’s_ _**Mettaton**_ _! How are you doing?_

_[unknown number_ _4_ _]:_ _Btw, Blooky asked me if you were coming back when they woke up. You should have seen their face when I told them you’d be back. I thought they were a… robot, not a blueberry! Lol!_

_[unknown number_ _4_ _]:_ _Anyway, sweetheart, I wanted to ask, is the time I showed up yesterday an ok time for me to swing by and pick you up today? Just let me know. <3_

* * *

_[unknown number_ _5_ _]:_ _sup. name’s_ _**sans**_ _. dunno if you remember me. things were pretty crazy yesterday._ _good thing you helped out napsta._ _o_ _therwise they wouldn’t have had a *ghost* of a chance._

_[unknown number_ _5_ _]:_ _anyway i’m the skeleton_ _in the_ _blue hoodie. just a heads up, my little bro_ _papyrus_ _is probably gonna be texting you._ _he can be a little much so i figured it was just fair to give you a little notice._

_[unknown number 5]: so yeah. this is my #. hit me up if you need anything or just wanna chill, k?_

* * *

_[Dr. Alphys]: hey, it’s_ _Alphys_ _again! omg sorry for texting u so many times so early_

_[Dr. Alphys]: I really am sorry!!!_

_[Dr. Alphys]: um. just wanted to let u kno that u might be getting a lot of texts. lol. or maybe u already have_

_[Dr. Alphys]: I’m so sorry, everyone wanted ur number just in case. I hope that’s ok!_

_[Dr. Alphys]: anyway have a good one_

* * *

_[unknown number 6] hi, (Name)! this is **Frisk**!! text me if you want to, but no pressure. I’ll be in school till 2 anyway_

_[unknown number 6] thanks again for helping Napstablook. it was really cool that you were asking about their snails… and you really helped them relax! I’ve never seen them warm up to anyone so fast._

_[unknown number 6] they usually try to keep people from touching their hair, but they actually asked you to do it. I think they like you :D_

* * *

 You do text Alphys back after you see her initial text, to say hello, and rename her contact more to your liking. Then you scroll through all the rest before answering anybody else.

Thankfully, you get up early enough that you have time to text everyone at least once while you go through your routine. Your shower is quick, you wear simple clothes for work, and breakfast doesn’t take a lot of time to prepare. All of the texts make you smile as you eat. While you’re chewing, you make it a point to text everybody and save contacts. You save Papyrus as _T_ _he_ _G_ _reat_ _P_ _apyrus_ ; Undyne as _Undyne_ ; Toriel as _Toriel_ ; Mettaton as _Mettaton_ ; Sans as _Sans the Skeleton_ ; and Frisk as _Ambassador Frisk._ Most of them are lacking in creativity, but… you can always rename them later if the urge strikes you.

Your text to Papyrus includes a thank you, that you’re glad to make his acquaintance, that you’ll follow his social media when you get the chance, and that he’s welcome to follow yours as well. You also let him know that he’s free to text or call you as well. His over-the-top but genuine enthusiasm makes you smile.

You tell Undyne thank you, that you’ll call or text if you need anything, and that she can do the same. It’s nice that she still offers despite admitting she’s not much of a phone person.

You compose your text to Asgore three times in an attempt to sound professional – then remember that if everyone chuckled at you calling him _Your Majesty,_ that probably isn’t necessary. You thank him for his offer, say that you’ll text him if you find information, and ask if he can let you know what’s happening with the investigation, if it isn’t classified or anything. It makes you feel humble that he seems to have accepted you into their little community without question.

You let Toriel know that her offer is very kind, and that you’ll keep it in mind if you need anything. She’s such a motherly presence, it feels like you really can go to her with anything.

You send Mettaton a laughing face and comment that Napstablook blushing is cute. You also say you’re glad that they’re happy you’re coming back, then reply to Mettaton’s question – the same time is fine, if he doesn’t mind. He’s so friendly and a lot more approachable than people seem to think he is. You’re touched that he actually wants to talk to you even though he doesn’t have any real _reason_ to.

You give Sans an _LOL_ in response to his saying Papyrus might text you, saying that Papyrus already did so, and that you don’t mind at all. You also tell him he can hit you up for anything or chilling too, if he wants. Although he’s kind of hard to get a read on, he sounds like an alright guy. (You wonder why the word ‘ghost’ in his text is between two asterisks for emphasis. Is he trying to make a pun? … You don’t get it. What do ghosts have to do with this whole situation??)

After Alphys texts you back with a bunch of apologies and everything, you reply to let her know that it’s fine. People have been texting you, and even though you won’t be able to text a lot while you’re at work, you like talking to everyone. They’re all so sweet! Why on Earth would you mind having them text you?

As for Frisk… you’re not sure what to say to them at first. You just look down at the text with a half-smile and raised eyebrows. Do they really think Napstablook likes you…? It’s a surprise to you that Napstablook apparently doesn’t like having their hair touched. It seemed to be one of the things keeping them calm when you were doing it yesterday.

A glance at the clock reveals that you should probably head to work now. It isn’t very far away, about a five-minute walk, but you don’t want to accidentally be late. Eventually, as you pull your coat on, you send a text back to Frisk.

_[_ _(_ _Name_ _)_ _]: Hey, I’m glad to have helped them. It seems like they’ll be fine soon, so that’s good! And wow… I would have guessed they LIKE their hair being touched, lol! You think they like me, huh? I like them, too. They seem really nice. Don’t worry, btw – I’m heading to work so I won’t really be able to text either. Have a good day! :)_

As soon as you hit send, you head out the door and begin the walk to the center.

Hopefully, today will involve fewer hurt robots slumped on the welcome mat.

* * *

 As it turns out, there are exactly zero hurt robots slumped on the welcome mat of the human resource center when you arrive. Thank goodness! The less violence and pain there is, the better a place the world is.

What work has in store for you today is slightly more physical than what you did yesterday, though. There’s going to be a sort of dance/mixer party here tonight for the town’s senior citizens. The main event room needs decorated, and you also need to call two people – one who’s serving as the DJ, and one who’s providing the refreshments. Your supervisor wants to know when they plan to arrive so you can have everything set up.

You make the calls first. It sounds like you woke the DJ up, since he sounds groggy when he’s talking to you. You don’t blame him, though. By the time you get your assignments and answer a call from a young lady looking for family planning services, it’s just barely 8 o’clock, and you’re pretty sure this guy does freelancing at clubs during the night. He was probably out until earlier this morning. The good news is that he’s able to give you a straight answer. After you tell him the dance event is scheduled to start at 5 o’clock this evening, he lets you know that he’ll probably be there around 4:30. You thank him, politely ask him to call ahead of time if that changes, and wish him a good day before hanging up.

At least things seem to be going fairly smoothly today. Your supervisor appears tired, but she gives you encouraging smiles whenever you walk by her. The young woman who called you and the DJ are both pleasant instead of being short or irritable with you.

Although it hasn’t been very long since you got here, you decide to check your phone before calling the woman who’s bringing the food for tonight’s party. You’re glad you did so; there are a few messages.

* * *

_[Mettaton]: Thank you for letting me know, darling! I’ll come by about the same time, then. Have a good shift!_

_[Mettaton]: Oh, sweetheart. Blooky asked me to ask if you would take care of their snails while they’re in the hospital, but I told them you didn’t have a car to do so, and they just got this AWFUL sad look on their face. They said they understood and they didn’t want to be a burden… if I found you a ride, would you mind terribly to do this for them? All you would really have to do is put some food and cuttlebone in the tanks and mist the land snails. Maybe talk to them for a minute since Blooky normally talks to them. I understand if you can’t do it, though. I had Alphys do it last night and she’d probably be okay with doing it till they’re out of here. Just thought I would ask since Blooky seemed to have their heart set on you doing it!_

* * *

_[THE GREAT PAPYRUS]: AH-HA! I SEE YOU HAVE FOLLOWED ME! PREPARE TO BE AMAZED AND AWESTRUCK BY MY MAGNIFICENT POSTS!!_

_[THE GREAT PAPYRUS]:I HAVE ALSO FOLLOWED YOURS, IF YOU DID NOT SEE. YOU DON’T SEEM TO POST MUCH. THAT’S ALRIGHT! NOT EVERYONE’S LIFE IS AS EXCITING AS THE GREAT PAPYRUS’. AT THE VERY LEAST, YOU SEEM HAPPY! SO! THAT. IS WHAT IS IMPORTANT._

_[THE GREAT PAPYRUS]: BY THE WAY, PLEASE DO NOT RUSH TO TEXT ME BACK. IT’S FINE TO TAKE YOUR TIME. ALPHYS TOLD ME YOU WORK FROM SEVEN-THIRTY A.M. TO THREE P.M. DO NOT GET IN TROUBLE FOR BEING ON YOUR PHONE AT WORK!! AND HAVE A GOOD DAY, PLEASE!!!_

_[THE GREAT PAPYRUS]: I’M ON MY WAY TO VISIT NAPSTABLOOK, EVEN THOUGH IT’S EARLY. I WOULD RATHER GO EARLIER THAN LATER! WOULD YOU LIKE ME TO SAY HELLO TO THEM FOR YOU?_

* * *

_[Dr. Alphys]: oh my God_

_[Dr. Alphys]: Mettaton told me u don’t have a car?? ok um maybe I’m being pushy but_

_[Dr. Alphys]: I have kind of a junk car, but Undyne usually drives me 2 work so I don’t use it much_

_[Dr. Alphys]: which is kind of why we got a junker lol we figured might as well not pay for something brand new if I wasn’t gonna use it much right_

_[Dr. Alphys]: uh anyway_

_[Dr. Alphys]: if im not out of line uh ur welcome 2 use my car if you need 2?_

_[Dr. Alphys]: u probably dont but I figured I’d put it out there in case u do need it_

_[Dr. Alphys] omg I’m texting u way too much and it’s rly early and ur probably busy at work I’m sorry!! just um get back to me when you can I guess sorry if I bugged u_

* * *

 Well, you’re not used to your phone blowing up this much. You chuckle as you read over the texts, shaking your head. Your new friends are all really nice.

It probably wouldn’t be a good idea to text _everyone_ before you go back to working. Maybe just text one person back.

You decide on replying to Alphys.

* * *

_[Name]: hey, thank you,_ _Alphys_ _! that’s a really generous offer, and I appreciate it._

_[Name]: Mettaton said that Napstablook wants me to take care of their snails while they’re out of commission?_ _is it ok if I use your car for that?_

* * *

 After that, you’ll just wait until she responds before you text Mettaton back. You don’t want to commit to anything unless you’re certain that you’ll be able to use Alphys’ car. If she’s okay with that, you’re more than happy to take care of Napstablook’s snails until they come home.

Alright, so, now that that’s done… you should get back to work. You can check your phone in a little bit and slowly get back to everybody.

The next order of business is to call the lady who’s supposed to be bringing the food for the seniors’ dance tonight so you can see what time she’s planning to get here. Hopefully it’ll be close to the same time the DJ plans on showing up. Less hassle if people don’t show up hours apart from each other.

Once you’ve picked up the phone and dialed the number, you wait patiently for someone to answer. After four rings, there’s a click in your ear, then someone speaks. _“Hello?”_

“Hi, sorry to bother you so early! Is this Linda Kowalczyk?”

“ _You don’t sound very sorry,_ _but yeah, that’s me_ _.”_ Ouch. Maybe she’s just stressed or tired at the moment. _“Who are you and what do you want?”_

You take a deep mental breath. This is _not_ going to bother you. It’s okay. Your policy for people who are less than pleasant is to just get down to business. The less time you spend talking to people like that, the fewer chances they have to really get under your skin. “Well, I do apologize. This is (Name) from the Ebott Human Resource Center. Since you’re catering our seniors’ dance tonight, and it starts at five P.M., I just wanted to call you up and ask what time you think you’ll be here with the food. Just confirming so that we have enough time to set up and things like that.”

A scoff meets your ears. _“Yeah, that. Thanks for putting me on the spot. I was gonna just not show up. But since you asked, I’m not coming at all.”_

“Oh… I see…” You don’t, really. Of course you’ve had people cancel on stuff like this at the last minute before, but most people aren’t so rude about it. There’s no need for her to be so snippy. “May I ask why? Did something else come up for you? And, if possible, would you be able to recommend anyone else who could–”

“ _Oh, my God, do you seriously not get it? It was all over the news yesterday. That monster on your damn doorstep.”_ This is when things start to go bad. Suddenly, you’re not sure that her attitude is the product of fatigue or stress. You can almost hear the scowl in her voice. _“If she thought it was okay to come there because her battery was dead, because she didn’t take care of herself, she’s an idiot. Who thinks that’s okay? Monsters can’t come to a place that’s for HUMANS. It’s wrong.”_

Your heart sinks into your stomach and it makes you feel sick. So many things are wrong here. She’s using the wrong pronouns for Napstablook, assuming they’re female, when everyone who knows them uses ‘they’ – are the news outlets using the wrong ones, too? Or is it just this woman? Plus, what’s even worse than that… she evidently thinks that monsters aren’t welcome at the human resource center. Your supervisor has no problem with monsters coming in. Although you don’t get many monsters in here, you’ve seen a few during the day, either asking for some information or attending events. Enough to know that nobody’s turned away here, no matter what.

Does this woman think it’s _okay_ to preach her intolerance to you and expect you to find any logic in it?

All you see in her statements is the memory of Napstablook’s eye refusing to focus on you. That cyan blood splattered all over their body. You hear their heavy breathing and fans. The glitching of their voicebox as they attempted to beg for help. The feeling of their hand in yours at the hospital, strong enough to give your fingers a little squeeze despite being in so much pain.

“M… ma’am,” you start. You’re not sure exactly what you’re going to say. No matter how terrible she sounds, you’re not allowed to hang up on anyone unless they start verbally abusing _you._ You think it’s enough; hearing her talk about your new friend this way makes you want to burst into tears. She doesn’t _know_ them. She doesn’t know any of those monsters. It’s not fair. How hard is it to just not be a jerk? “I’m… I’m sorry to argue with you, but, that monster prefers to be called _they,_ and… this center doesn’t discriminate against monsters. A-anyway, uh… you’re not coming tonight, is that correct?”

“ _You’re right. And you know what, you little bitch? I’ll actually do you one better. You tell your boss that I won’t be involved in doing anything for your shitty little place. Ever again. You guys are what’s wrong with this city and why_ _things are getting worse here_ _. Hope you’ll be happy when this town is nothing but monsters. Maybe they’ll all die before that happens. Here’s hoping, right? Go to hell, you and the rest of that monster-loving center.”_

Here you thought it wasn’t possible for your heart to hurt anymore. Not only do you need to find someone to cater the dance on such short notice… there are actually people out there who think this way about monsters. You’re a little hurt that she insulted you, but you’re a lot more upset that she thinks _monsters_ are what’s wrong with the city.

No… actually, what you’re most upset about is that she hopes all the monsters die. That she’s one of the people who would have walked right by Napstablook and ignored their need for help. That your new friends were right in saying people like that are more common than people who would help.

You can’t even think of anything to say. That cotton-ball feeling in your mouth from yesterday returns. It’s worse this time.

Before you can do anything, the other end of the phone goes silent, and tears have started dripping down your face.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You spend the morning decorating, then Sans and Papyrus pay you a visit with Alphys' car. Papyrus saves the resource center's event, and Sans makes it clear that he's rootin' for ya, kid.
> 
> Also, you gain a child-friendly alternative to 'fuck off': _go sit on a whoopee cushion._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oof, I haven't been writing this fic as much as I should, haha. Updates might be a little slower from now on!
> 
> That said, I'm back in the mood for Gravity Falls stuff, and I've started a Bill Cipher redemption fic (yes I am absolute trash who redeems every character I get my stinky little hands on, don't look at me like that) so if that's at all up your alley, go check it out! It's called Threes. :)
> 
> Welp, shameless self-promotion aside, things are definitely gonna heat up a little tiny bit in future chapters. In terms of emotions, and also in terms of - dare I say it - ROMANCE. XD
> 
> Also, Papyrus is a Big Favorite in this chapter. He's energetic and optimistic and wants to believe the best, but he's far from naive or stupid. ~~I relate to him a lot.~~
> 
> As always, I hope you enjoy, and please consider leaving a comment if you did! Comments absolutely fuel my motivation to write more. <3

You’re not sure that you’ll be able to completely settle down for the rest of the day.

After you inform your supervisor what’s going on, she gets a look on her face like she just tasted something foul. She mutters, “Great, that’s _just_ what we need,” although she makes it clear that she doesn’t blame you one bit. She’s just as intolerant of the bigotry that Linda woman was spouting as you are. She’s more angry about it as opposed to hurt, saying that she can’t believe somebody that narrow-minded and toxic was volunteering at the center, and wonders how that woman hid it so well.

She says she’ll try to find a replacement, that you don’t have to worry about it and to just go about your regular duties.

You decide to try and focus on helping put decorations up in the event room instead of checking your phone. If you tried to text someone right now, your feelings would probably pour right out and nobody needs a reminder right now that there are people out there who hate monsters.

It looks like you’re really the only person putting up decorations. The custodian is in the event room cleaning up, and he gives you a smile. Other than that, he leaves you alone. That’s fine; the decorations are a bit sparse anyway. There isn’t a whole lot to put up. Some posters, a few ornaments made of tissue paper to hang from the ceiling, a roll of streamer ribbon. You also set up the snack table. That leaves you shaking again. It makes you think of the lady from the phone and her refusal to help anymore. Because the center supports monsters. Because she _found out_ that the center supports monsters.

Three hours pass before you finish decorating, only because you’ve been moving so slowly. The skin around your eyes still feels raw from crying. It seems like your energy is gone. There’s a cold ball of anxiety in your stomach.

You wonder if other people are going to start boycotting the place because of this. That thought makes you want to throw up, because if that happens, it means there are other bigots like her in your city.

A series of raps on the front door of the center shakes you out of your reverie. You just sat down, and haven’t even checked your phone yet. Lo and behold, when you look up to see who’s knocking instead of just opening the door, it’s the pair of skeletons from yesterday. The short one, Sans, and the tall one, Papyrus. The one giving enthusiastic fist bumps to the door is, predictably, Papyrus. Come to think of it, he seems to always be moving. Whereas Sans… well, Sans strikes you as the kind of person who wouldn’t run even if he were on fire.

You smile at them, but you’re pretty sure the smile looks forced. “Hey, come on in,” you call. “This is a public building, so you don’t have to knock before coming in.”

“Yes, I know!” Despite the fact that he doesn’t shout in real life like he seems to in his texts, Papyrus’ volume is still up there. It’s nice, though. A lot of the time you feel like you’re alone at the front desk – someone talking loud enough to fill the room makes you feel less lonely. “It just seems polite to me to do so before entering even if I don’t have to!”

Sans is trailing behind Papyrus, the epitome of the word _chill._ It’s still hard for you to feel him out. Papyrus seems like an open book, but you can’t really tell what Sans is thinking or feeling. You also get the sense that he’d just deflect any question you ask. “Hey, kid.” Those dull blue eyelights of his scan you up and down, and it becomes clear to you that he’s a little more observant than he lets on. “You’re lookin’ a little _bonely_ here.”

Papyrus’ reaction is the exact opposite of yours. Where you snort, feeling like the pun broke the ice a little, the taller skeleton lets out an exasperated groan. Likely he’s heard these all a million times, so you can’t blame him. “SANS!”

“What, bro? I’m just tryin’ to tickle her _funny bone._ ”

“Well, it’s not funny!” Even though Papyrus is giving Sans a hard time about it, you see a smile tugging at the edges of his mouth. Maybe he’s not as annoyed by this as he lets on. “How many of those do you have prepared?”

Sans shrugs and shoves his hands in his pockets. He closes his eyesockets only to open one, looking at Papyrus with the most mischievous expression you’ve ever seen. “Oh, y’know. A ton.”

“Sans, don’t you even think about–”

“A _skele-ton._ ”

“OH, MY GOD!!!” In an obvious attempt to hide his smile, Papyrus crosses his arms over his chest and quickly turns away from his brother. “I can’t take you anywhere!”

In the meantime, your shoulders are shaking from laughter. You’ve gotta admit, Sans is really good at these. A couple of bad jokes was apparently just what you needed. “Pfffft… oh, come on, Papyrus. You gotta hand it to Sans, he’s pretty…”

It looks like Papyrus has caught on to where you’re going with this. “Don’t you start!”

“… _Humerus,_ ” you finish, and you can barely keep a grin from taking over your face.

“ _OH, MY GOD!!!_ ” Papyrus buries his face in his hands, which are covered by a pair of red mittens. “And here I thought you were cool, (Name)! How could you?!”

You manage to compose yourself, although when you look over at Sans, that permanent smile of his seems genuine. “Hey, I _am_ cool. You’re cool, too. So, now that that’s over, what are you doing here? I mean, a cool guy like you obviously has better places to be.”

Papyrus appears to recover just as fast. He gives you a bright smile and places a hand on his chest. “Well, yes, but the Great Papyrus took on a task from the brilliant Dr. Alphys! She says that you are welcome to use her car, and asked me to drive it here for you. She would have brought it herself, but she had to go back to the hospital and adjust some of Napstablook’s medications.”

“Oh, right… sorry. I forgot to text her back again… I’ve been busy setting up for a dance tonight.” You throw a glance toward the event room. “Et cetera.”

“A dance? Wowie! That sounds like fun!” You get the feeling that there are very few things Papyrus’ sunny disposition can’t make better. “Are monsters allowed??”

Your heart plummets right into your stomach again. You feel tears pricking at the edges of your eyes, and give the two of them that forced smile again in an effort not to start bawling. “Well, yeah… but it’s a dance for senior citizens. 60 years and up. I, uh – am I right in hoping neither of you are that old?”

“You gotta be pullin’ my leg,” Sans snorts. “Most monsters live longer than humans. We’re, uh, we’re not quite that age yet. So, yeah, afraid we’re gonna hafta pass on that one.” He glances toward Papyrus. “Paps? You lookin’ at her?”

Papyrus nods and takes a step toward you. “(Name)!! You suddenly look upset…” His head tilts to one side, although he doesn’t exactly look sad. It’s more like heavy, authentic concern. “Was it something I said? I apologize if it was! Whatever it was, I didn’t mean to make you uncomfortable!”

Oh… geez. No way, you definitely can’t have him thinking this was his fault. “Oh, no, no, Papyrus! It wasn’t you. It’s just… this morning… I was making some calls, you know? To see when the volunteers doing the music and the food for the dance were gonna show up. And the lady who was supposed to bring the food…”

Ah. Man. It’s way too hard to stop the tears, and this time they’re visible in your eyes. “Oh, my God… she was so awful…” You don’t really want either of the brothers to see you cry, so you bring both hands up to cover your face. “She saw the news… with Napstablook, and… God, I don’t even wanna think about any of the stuff she said! She… s-she said she… she wasn’t going to support us anymore… b-because we help monsters… she’s not showing up… then she c-called me a…”

God, no. You’re not sure you can even repeat the word _bitch_ in front of someone as polite as Papyrus. “… A bad name… and said…” More tears come rolling down your face, and before you know it, you’re sobbing into your hands. “She said we’re what’s wrong with the city! She said she thinks we’re _wrong_ for wanting to help monsters, too! She said she hopes all the monsters _die!_ And – and now we have to find someone else to do the food, and… and nobody’s gonna wanna do it on such short notice… and m-more people are probably going to stop giving us help because of this, too! And we can’t help anyone if nobody helps us!”

You’re not really done babbling, but you feel Papyrus’ skinny arms pull you into a hug. He holds you lightly in an obvious attempt to allow you to move away if you don’t want to be touched. Instead, you lean against his shoulder, continuing to cry. “All of that makes me worried, but what’s worse than anything else is that there are people who think monsters should die! Just because they’re monsters! She… she thinks I shouldn’t have helped Napstablook! Like I should have just l-looked at someone suffering, and… and just walked by! That’s so _terrible!_ How can somebody think like that?! How can somebody think it’s _okay_ to think like that?! How can somebody think… people deserve to _die…_ j-just because… I-I thought people were better than that… I… it’s…”

You don’t know what else to say to express your feelings, so you just end with what you really want to say. “It’s not _**FAIR!**_ ”

Everything is quiet. Not even the sound of bones rattling breaks the silence. You stay against Papyrus for a minute, hugging him and letting him hug you, before you let out a sigh. “I… I’m sorry… you two already know all that… about people not liking monsters…” You draw away, rubbing at your eyes to try and wipe away the tears. “You don’t need to be reminded of it…”

“It isn’t your fault!” Papyrus’ voice is a little softer, likely for your benefit. Even though you’re pushing away from him, he still pats your back in an attempt to comfort you. “People… are not always kind. It isn’t just humans. There are some monsters who can be very stubborn in how they view humans. I think… hurtful attitudes like that can be found everywhere. It is just… a fact of life. Not a very pleasant one, I admit. Still, I think no matter where we go, we would encounter people like them. And, unfortunately, even someone as great as me is not always enough to open their minds.”

Another set of bones thumps lightly between your shoulder blades. You don’t even need to look over to realize that Sans is suddenly beside you as well. “’S why we need nice people like you, kid.” His touch doesn’t last as long before both hands are shoved back into his pockets. “Far as I’m concerned, Phone Lady can go sit on a whoopee cushion. All the people who don’t like us suck, but the ones like you… make up for it. Y’know? Even if every other single person in this city would have ignored a monster who needed help, you were the one who didn’t. That counts for way more than all the assholes.”

“Sans, language!” Papyrus chides. His eyelights drift back to you, and he gives you a smile as he moves away. “… He is right, however. You are easily worth a hundred terrible humans. Maybe even two hundred!”

Alright, _that_ gets a laugh out of you. You continue wiping your tears away despite the fact that you’re giggling now. “Thanks, Papyrus. I appreciate you thinking that. And, thanks, Sans. I mean, just – thank you both. All that was stuff I really needed to hear. I’m glad I can make up for all the terrible people out there. If there’s ever anything I can do to make you guys feel better or anything… like, I know it’s a lot harder for you than it is for me. It breaks my heart knowing there’s people like that out there. So… yeah. Just… if either of you need anything, I’m here, you can text if you need anything.”

Sans offers up a shrug. “Hey, don’t worry about it, kid. We both got _thick skin._ ” He glances over at his brother with a wink, and seems content when Papyrus nods eagerly instead of groaning at the pun. “’Preciate the offer, though. We’ll keep that in mind.” With that, he steps back toward the door. “Well, anyway. We brought Alphys’ junker for ya. Just in case you need it. I think Mett’s swingin’ by today, though, so I dunno if you’ll end up needin’ it or not. If not, just text me and I’ll come pick it up later.” He turns toward Papyrus. “You gonna stay here for a while, Paps? I gotta get to work, so if you wanna go home or back to the hospital, it’s either come with me now or wait till I get a break later.”

“Yes, of course, Sans! I’m coming now. Just one second… (Name)?” Papyrus takes your hands in his, and the mittens make his phalanges feel softer than they probably are. “– I would like to offer my services as a culinary expert to replace the rude phone woman!”

That’s… unexpected. Not only can Papyrus apparently cook, he’s willing to take on a whole event on such short notice? “Oh, Papyrus… that’s so sweet…” You swallow past the lump in your throat, trying not to cry again. Everyone you’ve met so far is so… nice. “I can’t ask you to do that, though! The dance starts at five P.M. – and you’d have to be here ahead of time, which means there’s only about five hours to get things together. You’d have to spend the rest of your day making food! You have better things to do with your day…”

Papyrus gives you a bright smile as he lets go of your hands. “Nyeh-heh-heh! The Great Papyrus is very much up to the challenge! There are some very cute finger foods and such that I’ve been meaning to try making!” Boy. If you had even a fraction of Papyrus’ energy and confidence, you could get a _lot_ more done even after work. “If it’s okay with you, this is something I would love to do!”

You glance at Sans to get a read for the situation. Well… more like to mouth, ‘What do you think?’ without Papyrus seeing. Even though you’re sure Papyrus is a good cook, you’re not sure if he can handle taking on a whole party. Granted, it’s only a local community thing; there aren’t going to be hundreds of people showing up. According to your supervisor, the turnout is supposed to be more like fifty people at the most, over the whole four hours the dance will be going on. Still, that means a pretty good amount of food.

Sans gives you a wink and a thumbs-up. ‘Don’t worry, he’s got it,’ he mouths back to you.

Good, good. You really would feel bad with letting Papyrus do something on this scale if it would overwhelm him. Of course, it seems like very little can overwhelm the Great Papyrus. “That… actually sounds really awesome, and that would help us out a lot. You’re really sweet to offer,” you add. “I don’t get to make the call, though. If you guys can spare just one more minute, I’ll ask my supervisor if that would be okay. She’ll probably want to meet you first, but it shouldn’t take too long.”

“Sans?” Papyrus looks at his brother with an expression that makes you lucky you aren’t Papyrus’ sibling. That look would get you to cave almost immediately.

Sans shrugs. “Sure, I got another minute.”

“Are you sure?” you ask. “It won’t make you late for work, will it?”

“Nah.” There’s something mysterious in the smile he gives you. “I know a shortcut. Go ahead and talk to your boss.”

So you do. Your supervisor looks practically ecstatic when you mention that a friend of yours is here offering to take over for the woman who canceled. She comes out to meet them as you thought she would. Although she seems a little taken aback by the skeleton brothers – and has to crane her neck to make eye contact with Papyrus – it absolutely doesn’t bother her that they’re monsters. She never stops looking relieved during the whole encounter.

She has a big smile on her face when she shakes Papyrus’ hand and accepts his generosity. He seems overjoyed to be doing something that’s going to help impact the community, even if it’s something small.

You get the feeling she’d actually hug him if she were a more touchy-feely person.

It restores the bit of your faith in humanity that was lost this morning.

* * *

_[Mettaton]: (Name), darling. Alphys let me know that she sent Sans and Papyrus with_ _that_ _bucket of bolts she calls a car for you to use! I’m going to be dropping by_ _anyway_ _so I can lead you to Blooky’s place. Are you still up for taking care of their snails while they’re in the hospital?_

* * *

_[Dr. Alphys]: omg so Im just gonna send Sans and Papyrus over with my car ok?? if u don’t need it just bring it back I guess_

_[Dr. Alphys]: oh shit wait u don’t know where I live_

_[Dr. Alphys]: uhhhhh just have Sans or Papyrus bring it back then if u don’t need it_

_[Dr. Alphys]: and if u need it some other day just let me know!!!_

* * *

_[The Great Papyrus]: (NAME)!! WE ARE COMING OVER TO THE HUMAN RESOURCE CENTER WITH DR. ALPHYS’ CAR FOR YOU TO USE!_

_[The Great Papyrus]: IF YOU ARE TOO BUSY LET ME KNOW IN THE NEXT FIVE MINUTES SO WE CAN. NOT COME. I DON’T WANT TO BOTHER YOU AT WORK._

_[The Great Papyrus]: OK! WE’RE ON OUR WAY! SEE YOU SOON!_

_[The Great Papyrus]: ALSO, SINCE YOU COULDN’T ANSWER ME BEFORE WE WENT TO THE HOSPITAL, I DECIDED TO TELL NAPSTABLOOK HELLO FOR YOU!! I THOUGHT IT WAS WHAT YOU WOULD WANT. THEY SEEMED HAPPY TO HEAR IT._

_[The Great Papyrus]: WELL. THEY GOT A VERY SMALL SMILE ON THEIR FACE AND THEN FELL ASLEEP. BUT THAT IS THE HAPPIEST I HAVE EVER SEEN THEM WHILE NOT ONSTAGE!!!_

* * *

All the texts you’ve gotten make you smile while you’re on your lunch break. Mettaton still very clearly wants you to take care of Napstablook’s pets, probably mainly because it’s what Napstablook wants. Alphys is so charitable to be lending you her car not only for today, but for another day if you happen to need it. And since you don’t want Mettaton needing to leave the hospital to get you to Napstablook’s house every day to care for their snails, it’s an offer that’s very much appreciated. As for Papyrus… he’s just so sweet. Making sure you know they were coming, and trying to give you some time to see if you weren’t too busy. Plus he actually told Napstablook hello from you even though you didn’t have time to answer that text earlier.

You hardly know these people, but you _feel_ like you do. It’s like they’re your friends already. They’ve accepted you into their circle so quickly, and that’s touching. All you did was something any decent person would do. You really hope they don’t mind you sticking around for a while.

You want to be their friend. You want to get to know all of them.

… Especially Napstablook. Once they’re feeling better.

During your break, you actually manage to text everyone back, and you return to work with hope in your heart.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You visit Napstablook's house so you can learn how to take care of their snails, and you have a heart-to-heart with Mettaton.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I haven't been updating much! Life's still kinda crazy for me, and my moods have been focused elsewhere, haha. But I need to write more of this fic! I love Napstablook SO MUCH, they're just a precious baby who need protection. I have a few more chapters written after this, then I need to get my butt in gear and write new ones. XD
> 
> I hope you enjoy!! Give Blooky a big ol' smooch on the face because they need it! <3 (Also Mettaton and Reader-chan also need smooches, definitely...)
> 
> ALSO don't take any of the stuff about snails at face value tbh? (Well, except for the part about washing your hands before and after you handle them, you wanna do that with pretty much any animal that you're handling, it's especially important with animals like snails and reptiles and amphibians tho.) I do my research and all, but I don't own pet snails myself and I don't know anyone who does, so some of the information may not be 100% accurate even though I always research this stuff. c:

When Mettaton shows up at the center, he’s obviously tired. Unlike the previous time you saw him, he’s not wearing any makeup, and it looks like he hasn’t gotten much rest. Not that you blame him, of course. He’s got every right in the world to be exhausted.

Besides, he’s not tired enough to forego his manners. He doesn’t knock on the door like Papyrus, just like he didn’t the other day, but he does peer inside before strolling in. Probably just to see whether or not you were right there, if you were busy, something like that. “Helloooo, darling,” he drawls, giving you a smile. Although it’s tight, it isn’t rude or fake. “How are you doing?”

“Well…” You bite your lip, contemplating how to answer. It’s not like you want to tell him that a monster hater called and got you so upset you were in tears. You also don’t want to say you’re fine, because you’re still really not. While you’ve always known people like that woman exist, it’s still a shock to think they’re so close to home. Not to mention being faced with anti-monster sentiment right after you rescued a monster who was nearly killed likely because of it is… hard to swallow.

“(Name)?” Mettaton’s hand moves to rest gently on your forearm. You must have gotten lost in thought for more than a few seconds. “Is everything alright, sweetheart?”

You shake your head in an attempt to clear your thoughts. There’s no sense lying to him _or_ getting him more angry than he already is about the whole anti-monster thing. “I’ll be okay. It’s just… a lot happened today. There was a lady who was supposed to bring food for the dance tonight, but when I called to ask when she’d be here, she, um… said she saw what happened yesterday. With Napstablook. She didn’t think they should have come here because it’s a _human_ resource center, and… she kept calling them ‘she’… and just, said she didn’t want to do any volunteering with us ever again.” It’s probably best not to mention the whole ‘wishing all monsters would die’ bit. “… She just said some really awful things about monsters and it… really upset me. But… thankfully, Papyrus is gonna bring food for the dance, and – we don’t need people like her around, anyway. You know?”

As you talk, it seems Mettaton is hanging on your every word. His visible eye is wide and focused, and with every word, he seems to get more worked up. His hand shifts away from your arm so that his fingers can ball up into a loose fist. His eye looks like it’s glowing a brighter, fierier pink, and it only intensifies as you keep talking. The way he stiffens up makes you almost think he’s going to punch straight through a wall or something. He’s definitely got the strength for it, you’re pretty sure about that much. So much for not making him angry…

Finally, his shoulders sag back down, all of the tension melting away. “Well. No need to dwell on it.” That’s all he says before turning around and opening the door for you. “Shall we get going, darling? Are you all clocked out and ready to go?”

“Oh… uh, yeah.” You can’t stop yourself from raising an eyebrow as you grab your bag. Is that… really all the reaction he’s going to have? Sure, there’s no need to _dwell_ on it… but he seemed upset. It seems weird for someone who you can tell is so open about his emotions to just shove them on the back burner like that. If he’s mad, he should acknowledge that instead of just trying to forget about it. “Mettaton… are you okay?”

“I’m fine, sweetie.” You expect to hear heels clicking on the pavement as he walks toward his car; he’s wearing the same low-heeled boots he wore yesterday, though. “Now, just follow my car, and I’ll lead you to Blooky’s place. Is it alright if I text you directions later, as well? No offense meant, but most people can’t remember how to get somewhere if they’ve only been there once or twice. So it might be good to have something a bit more concrete for future reference.”

“Yeah, I’d really appreciate that, thanks.” You nod and walk over to a vehicle that’s… a little sad-looking, to be perfectly honest. It’s a small car that’s not in great shape, bits of the dark blue paint are flaked or peeling, and it looks like there’s a little rust on some of the metal parts. “This is Alphys’ car, right?”

“Mhm.”

Wow. So Mettaton really wasn’t kidding when he called it a bucket of bolts earlier. You look back at it and chuckle as you unlock it with the keys Papyrus gave you before he left. Bucket of bolts, maybe, but you can’t help feeling an affinity to it. It’s still kind of cute in an underdog sort of way. “Okay. So I’ll just follow you.”

Mettaton nods, opening the door to his own car that’s parked only a few spaces away. His is worlds apart from Alphys’ – clearly taken care of, shiny, with no damage or anything. “It isn’t too far from here, so it shouldn’t be a long drive. Just give me a thumbs-up when you’re ready to head out, and we’ll get going.”

“Okay!” Despite your smile, you still can’t shake the feeling of Mettaton pushing his feelings aside a moment ago. Bottling things up isn’t good for people. You have to assume it isn’t good for monsters either. They’re people just like humans are, with small differences in biology. To be honest, from what you’ve experienced, most of their minds and emotions work the same as any human’s.

So why is he trying to pretend like he’s okay when he’s… not? Is it something about you? Does he just not want to talk about it with _you?_

That… stings a little. Admittedly, you’ve only known him for like a day and a half. But so far he’s been fairly open with you about the way he feels. He doesn’t mask his fatigue or scale back his gratitude or anything like that. It seems like he wears his heart on his sleeve even for all his fans, who he doesn’t know on a personal level.

Your heart feels a little heavy as you get inside Alphys’ car and buckle your seatbelt. Wondering if you did something to make him uncomfortable, you put the key in the ignition, then give him a thumbs-up.

* * *

 To you, Napstablook’s house looks fairly normal. It’s one-story, painted pastel blue with dark grey accents, and the houses on either side of it look like they haven’t been lived in for quite some time. Actually, Napstablook’s house has a vaguely sort of ‘haunted’ vibe to it. The grass is a little high, the steps up look sort of uneven… there’s even an old porch swing near the door.

“Uh, wow,” you laugh as you step through the gate into the grass. It’s tall enough to brush against your ankles. “Is your cousin secretly like a ghost or something? This house looks like it was taken right out of a horror movie! It’s so cool! They’re not even slightly creeped out to be living somewhere like this by themselves?”

After all, Napstablook is clearly the nervous type. Even though you’re not half as anxious as they are, you’d be freaked out to be staying in a place like this, especially if it’s as scary on the inside as it is on the outside.

Mettaton lets out a chuckle, strolling up to unlock the door. There’s a look on his face that reminds you of the mysterious smile that Sans gave you earlier. You’re not sure exactly what you said that prompted it. “Oh, no. Blooky adores all this. They were so happy to find this kind of house. They’re very much into the whole spooky scene. I actually like it a lot, too – I just happen to like pink and glitz a bit more.”

He opens the door, and holy shit, it _creaks._ It makes chills go up and down your spine, and you’re grinning the whole time. Napstablook is shy and sweet, posts about their pet snails, and lives in a place like this? Not only do they keep getting cuter, they’re full of surprises. “Ooooh… well, I’m sufficiently spooked!”

“Blooky would be delighted to hear that,” Mettaton hums as he heads inside, setting his keys down on a table by the door. “As long as they didn’t really terrify you, they love it when people are a bit scared by their aesthetic. It’s sort of what they’re going for, and it flatters them. Makes them think they’re doing what they like to do right. You know, like Halloween, except all the time.”

You take a few steps inside the house, while Mettaton goes into the other room, and are surprised to find that it’s very different from the outside. Everything is clean, tidy, and well-organized. The house itself is very small and there aren’t many furnishings. There’s a television along the wall across from the door, and there’s one window next to it, in addition to the window by the door. Across from the TV is a couch that looks a little old and isn’t very big. In the corner of the room is a desktop computer; on the same wall is a wardrobe, and in the other corner is a shelf filled with what looks like stacks of records and CDs. On the bottom of the shelf is a box marked _MAINTENANCE._ Next to that are two tables with a large aquarium tank on each that appear to be filled with snails. One of them has branches and a terra cotta pot, while the other has water and gravel.

When you lean in for a peek at the other room, the doorway leads to a tiny kitchen that Mettaton’s stepping out of now. There’s a small fridge, and there’s also a large plastic container on the counter that appears to have a bunch of bolts and screws inside it. Do they eat those…? You suppose it makes sense since they’re a robot. One thing bothers you, though. There aren’t any other doorways, and there’s no upstairs. Where do they sleep?

“Well, if that’s what they’re into, that’s cool. And this is a really nice place,” you say, glancing toward Mettaton. “It’s kind of small… does Napstablook even have a bed?”

“No, they don’t really like beds.” Mettaton is already over toward the snail tanks, taking the lid off the one with branches and gently sticking his hand inside the terra cotta pot. “Hellooooo, hello, my darlings, Uncle Mettaton stopped by to see you. Oh, is that you, Jupiter? You’re the only one who’s never tired during the day!” When he pulls his hand out, he’s got a snail with a red-and-orange-spotted shell on his hand. He strokes its shell as he turns back to you – looking, might you add, just a little bit less tense now. “Blooky is a bit funny about sleep. They plug themselves into an outlet, then they either simply sit on the couch or lie on the floor.”

You raise an eyebrow. Well, that’s not a red flag at all. “On the _floor?_ ”

“Mhm. Apparently, they find it a lot more comfortable than a bed. And it’s not for lack of experience! When they sleep over at my house, they plug into an outlet in the guest room and lie on the bed. But they just like the floor better for some reason. They lay out a blanket and a pillow, and just go to town.” He shrugs before holding the snail in his hand toward you. “Would you like to hold Jupiter? She’s a sweetheart! Very friendly around new people. You’ll have to wash your hands first, though.”

… Well. Seeing the snails up close, you think they’re a little weird-looking. Although it’s adorable that Napstablook loves them, you’ve just never seen much _cute_ in snails themselves. Still… she’s sort of endearing. “Jupiter, huh?” You suppose you’ll have to get used to them if you’re going to be caring for them while Napstablook is in the hospital. They’re not bad critters. “Well… okay. I’ll go wash my hands, so… be right back.”

Guess you’ll have to do that in the kitchen. There’s no bathroom in the house, probably because monsters don’t actually need bathrooms. That must have been what Mettaton was doing when he went in there.

It doesn’t take very long, just a couple of minutes to scrub your hands down and make sure they’re clean. You dry them off with a paper towel, and head back into the other room. Looks like you’re gonna hold a snail. “So, uh – snails are slimy, aren’t they?”

The words barely make it out of your mouth before the snail is set down in your hands – answering your question. _Yes,_ they are definitely slimy. “A-ahhh, hahahaha!” You can’t stop yourself from giggling. It feels so weird! “It – s-she’s tickling me!”

“She’s not doing it on purpose!” Mettaton’s laughing now, too, even as he heads toward the kitchen again. It’s nice to see that the weight is off his shoulders enough that he now feels relatively okay around you. “You two get some girl time in, and I’m just going to grab some food for them so I can show you what you need to do every day!”

With that, he’s disappeared into the kitchen, leaving you alone with the snails.

You bring Jupiter up closer to your face to peer at her. Are her eyestalks looking at you or not…? Is she even trying to look at you? She might not be, to be perfectly honest. Animals aren’t always as worried about who’s holding them as they are about the fact that they’re being held. “Well, it’s nice to make your acquaintance, little lady,” you coo. “Even if you are kind of slippery.”

She continues to just trail slowly around your palm. Do you seriously expect a snail to answer you? That’s silly.

A sigh leaves your lips, and you reach to start brushing your fingers over the top of her shell like Mettaton was doing. “That’s okay – you don’t have to be honest with me, either. You probably don’t like this, huh? But how am I supposed to know if you don’t, if you don’t let me know? Are you mad at me? Are you just mad in general? Are you okay and am I reading too much into this? Did I do something wrong? If I did something wrong… you gotta tell me…”

Okay, great. You’re transferring your feelings about your budding friendship with Mettaton to a freaking snail. All she’s doing is moving around in your hand. How would a snail let you know it’s upset, anyway? Do they even have teeth? Can they bite you? Would they just curl up in their shell?

“Darling?” Oops. Mettaton’s returned while you’ve been lost in thought, and it didn’t take him very long. He’s holding a bowl of fruits and vegetables, and a packet of something in the other hand. He also looks a little concerned. “You seem awfully upset about whether or not Jupiter is mad at you, to the point that you’re in tears, and she’s not the slightest bit bothered. Would you like me to take her?”

All you can do is nod, not even having realized that you were crying until he pointed it out. As soon as he sets the bowl down and plucks the snail from your hands, you turn to wipe your face against your shirt sleeve. You probably shouldn’t touch your face with your hands until you’ve washed them again, given that you were just holding an animal. “I… I’m sorry, I’m not… I’m not actually… I was just thinking…”

“About?” he prompts as he sets Jupiter back into the dry tank.

“I…” Do you really want to ask him about this? It wouldn’t be fair to put him on the spot. At the same time, being honest is something that you’re pretty sure he places a lot of value on. “Did… did I do something wrong, Mettaton? Did I say something offensive? I mean… it’s just… it’s fine if I did, you can tell me. I’m not gonna get all angry, and – I’m really sorry if I did.”

He blinks rapidly for a few seconds. “What… what in the world gave you that idea? Sweetheart, you saved Blooky’s life. You could call me the filthiest word in existence and I’d be fine with it! Well… maybe not _fine,_ but trust me, if I were mad at you, you would know it for sure. What makes you think you offended me?”

You point your eyes down, unsure if you can handle eye contact with him. That eye of his always seems like it can see right into your SOUL. “… After I told you about what happened this morning… I could tell you were mad… but you just… pretended like it was fine… if you don’t wanna talk to me about it, that’s okay… I just… need to know if I did something wrong…”

“… Oh, my God. A couple of years pass, and I _still_ suck at communication.” He sighs and opens the packet he was carrying. It’s obvious he’s still stressed, even more so now that he’s actually letting it show. “Yes, darling, I’m upset. But it’s not – it’s not anything to do with _you._ You didn’t do anything wrong.”

Inside the packet are round disks, green in color, and he slips a couple into the tank that’s filled with water. From what you remember when Napstablook told you about taking care of the snails, you guess those are algae tablets. “When you told me about that horrible woman on the phone… I don’t know. I just got so angry. Blooky was almost _killed,_ probably because of someone like that, because of… _attitudes_ like that. I know there are some monsters who are dangerous to humans or who are less than savory, but Blooky – the only time they’ve ever hurt anyone is accidentally, and even then, they spend the rest of their lives beating themselves up about it!”

He lets out an aggravated sigh and runs a hand through his bangs. When he does, you can see he’s got the same type of port in place of his eye on that side that Napstablook does. “… I’m just so tired of people like that. Most people accept our presence even if they don’t like us. Which is fine by me. But then there are people who just want us dead. And of course that makes me angry! I didn’t want to say how I felt, because… I was afraid if I let myself get _that_ worked up, I’d… scare you. I just… I don’t want to say I hate those people, because I don’t know them, but…” He closes his eye. “They say they want us gone, and they don’t know _us,_ either. You know?”

“Yeah… of course I know…” For a minute you’re not sure what to do. Your hands hover uselessly before finally one of them comes to rest on Mettaton’s arm. Even though you don’t support anybody _hating_ anyone else, you can understand why he’d feel like he _wants_ to hate them. The things people like that believe are hurtful and unfair. For God’s sake, those attitudes made you cry this morning. Your heart just aches for your new friends.

Not to mention, Mettaton is seriously opening up to you. He was afraid of frightening you by saying all this before, and now he’s actually letting himself get it all out. The two of you haven’t even known each other two days; for all he knows, this very well could scare you, and for all he knows, you might be the type of person to tell news outlets or something. Being honest like this… takes a lot of courage.

You’re still not quite sure what to say. What _do_ you say in response to that?

A moment passes in silence before you finally decide on, “I’m here for you… for all of you. Whatever you need, just tell me, and I’ll do it.”

And it kind of startles you how much you mean it. Those words feel like they’re coming right from your SOUL.

… _Good._


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You visit Napstablook again, and bond a little more with Mettaton, Toriel, and Frisk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Eyyyy, whaddup?
> 
> SO! I have only one more chapter written after this one. I gotta write some new ones, idk when that'll happen but!! Blooky is a precious bean and obviously they need more love so. This story's gonna keep going!
> 
> The song Reader-chan sings in this chapter is the one that the story is named for -- "The Listening" by LIGHTS. It's such a catchy beat! <3
> 
> Enjoy and don't forget to leave a review to tell me what you think!! <3 <3 <3

You and Mettaton aren’t at Napstablook’s house too much longer. He teaches you how to mist the snails, how to break off cuttlebone and put it in for them, how to get the lids on tight – because apparently some of the snails are practically master escape artists – and how to feed them. The introductions to the rest of them are similar to how he introduced you to Jupiter. It consists of taking the snail out, setting them in your hand to get them used to you, telling you their name, and then setting them back in the tank.

As Napstablook said, there are twenty snails at the moment. Ten are land snails, and those are Jupiter, Europa, Saturn, Cassiopeia, Orion, Auriga, Lyra, Virgo, Venus, and Deimos. Ten are freshwater snails, and those would be Cygnus, Pisces, Phobos, Callisto, Mercury, Neptune, Cressida, Naiad, Charon, and Aquarius. The names sound kind of familiar to you. When you ask Mettaton, he grins and says that Napstablook named _all_ the snails after various constellations, planets, and moons.

Honestly, the more you learn about this monster, the cuter they are to you. There isn’t a single thing about them that isn’t endearing.

Once you finish going over the routine, you and Mettaton decide to head to the hospital to see Napstablook. After everything that’s happened today, this is probably going to be the high point for you. It’s something you’ve been looking forward to. Even though it hasn’t been very long since you met them, and it wasn’t under the best of circumstances, there’s an urge in your heart that’s telling you to get to know them better.

What’s more, you find yourself wanting to just go with that urge.

You drive Alphys’ car again, although you think you’re going to text Sans once you get home so he can pick it up from you when he gets off of work. It wouldn’t be right to keep using her car since she said you could use it _if_ you needed to. You don’t really… _need_ to. It makes things easier, but walking everywhere isn’t a big deal for you. Your house isn’t far from the human resource center, and neither is the hospital. If you really don’t feel like walking, you can always take the bus.

As you head up to Napstablook’s room in the elevator, you check your phone. Given how many texts you’ve been getting, it’s not unreasonable to think that there might be more waiting for you. When you see the first one, you giggle and turn your phone toward Mettaton. “Oh, my God! Papyrus texted me pictures of the stuff he’s making! Look, it’s all so cute!”

And it is, too. He’s texted you three pictures before actually saying anything. The first picture is a tray of finger sandwiches. The second is a bunch of heart-shaped brownies, and they’re all sprinkled with something sparkly. The last is… two things, actually. The last picture consists of two trays, one is a full of vegetables and the other full of fruits. Both arrangements are shaped like various configurations of bones. It’s actually all really nicely made.

Under all the pictures is what Papyrus actually said. _[The Great Papyrus]: LOOK, (NAME)! THESE ARE ALL THE THINGS I’M MAKING FOR THE DANCE TONIGHT! I STILL NEED TO MAKE MORE OF EVERYTHING, BUT THIS IS HOW IT’S ALL GOING TO LOOK. WHAT DO YOU THINK?_

Mettaton grins as he steps off the elevator with you. “Oh, my God. Those are so adorable! I love the brownies. Is that edible glitter on them? That’s such a good idea, I’m stealing that recipe! How did I not think of that?!”

“The seniors are probably going to love all this stuff.” In reality, you’re not sure how anyone’s going to react to the vegetable and fruit trays, although you think it’s clever, but if it tastes good, it’s a safe bet everything’s going to go over well. Besides, the sandwiches and the brownies look amazing. You quickly text back, even though the texts from Papyrus are from a couple of hours ago. He’s probably already been continuing to put stuff together. That doesn’t mean he doesn’t value your opinion, of course. _[(Name)]: Wow, everything is so cute! Looks delicious, too. I wish I was a senior so I could enjoy all of it, lol!! You’re probably hard at work and you’ll need to leave for the center soon, so I won’t keep you, ok? But you’re doing a great job! Good luck tonight,_ _and have fun_ _!!_

As a contrast to yesterday, the area by Napstablook’s room is mostly empty today. Alphys is there talking to another doctor, and that’s about it. You’re pretty sure Toriel and Frisk are here; Frisk just seems like the kind of person who’d want to visit every day, and Toriel seems nice enough to bring them every day.

You let Mettaton go first and just follow him in. This is _his_ cousin, so it’s only polite to let him go in first. He knocks a few times before heading inside, and from your position, you can see Napstablook’s face light up. “Oh… Mettaton… you’re back…”

“I sure am, darling! And look who I brought with me.” Mettaton leans down and gives his cousin a peck on the cheek, then gestures toward you. “Your guardian angel, as Frisk calls her. We went over to your place so I could show her how to take care of the snails, just like I told you. She had a bit of a rough morning, but she was _very_ happy to meet all your snails. She held them all!”

“She… she did…?” Napstablook’s eye blinks slowly, and their gaze shifts toward you. Their face is bright blue now. “What… happened this morning? Are… are you… okay?”

You give them a patient smile as you sit down in the chair next to Frisk. “Yeah, I’m okay. It’s just that I had to call one of our volunteers this morning, and she was mean to me, and she doesn’t wanna work with the center anymore. But it’s fine – Papyrus is taking over her job for tonight, making some food for our seniors’ dance. And my boss doesn’t want people like that lady working with us anyway.”

The look that takes over Napstablook’s features is hard to place. It’s like a mix of sympathy and sadness. – Well, okay. They _always_ look a little bit sad, if you’re understanding everyone else correctly. Still, though. “Why would anyone… ever be mean… to you? You’re… you’re so nice… I can’t imagine… anyone wanting to be… mean to you…”

“… Well… she was mean because she doesn’t like monsters… she said some bad things about monsters and called me a rude name, and… just… yeah.” You really, really don’t want to explain the whole thing to poor Napstablook. With their disposition, they would think it was their fault. They’d think they were a burden all over again. “… But, it’s okay. Like I said, we don’t want to work with anyone like that.”

They nod carefully in understanding. “I’m… I’m sorry she did that… people should just… be nice…”

“They should. But, hey, the people who aren’t nice don’t matter.” You slide your bag off your shoulder and set it on the floor. It’s your unofficial job to cheer them up – you’re gonna take it seriously. “Now, onto stuff that _does_ matter. Your snails are all so sweet! The slime kinda startled me when I first held Jupiter… I got used to it, though. I can see why you like them so much!”

Napstablook’s cheeks flash baby blue again, and they give you probably the tiniest smile you’ve ever seen. It’s barely noticeable. There’s something about it that’s charming, though. The fact that you managed to make them feel even the slightest bit better is _great._ They deserve to feel good. “Yeah… I think… the slime is what… turns most people off… but… once you get past that… they’re really cute. Most people think… they’re ugly and dumb… they’re not, though… they’re really smart… and they… have different personalities… and… they’re… cute…”

Well, you can understand somebody not getting the appeal of a certain animal. There wasn’t much appeal in snails for you, personally, before you actually interacted with Napstablook’s. It’s just not really fair for someone to call them ugly and dumb because snails aren’t their thing. “Yeah, they really are pretty adorable! And it kinda felt like they knew what I was saying. Aquarius really doesn’t like getting out of the water, does he? He only stayed on my hand for like two seconds before Mettaton had to put him back in the tank!”

“Heh…” Napstablook’s eye closes and they let out a loud sigh. They seem happy, though. “None of the… freshwater snails like… coming out of the water… Aquarius is the… only one who really… _really_ fights it… though… it’s cute…”

“Pff, he’s such a homebody. They all seem really great, though.” You scoot your chair a bit closer to let Frisk come closer to the bed. Toriel is, you notice, in the same position as she was yesterday, quietly reading a book in the corner. Mettaton’s headed over to the other side of his cousin’s bed and pulled up a chair. Everyone just seems so relaxed right now, even Napstablook. Hopefully they’ve been resting as much as possible. “How’ve you been feeling today? Listening to all your doctors and getting your rest?”

What sounds like a mix between a chuckle and a puff of air leaves their lips. “Y-yeah… of course. I, um… don’t think I really… have the strength to… do anything but lie here… so…” That makes sense, of course. Not only are they still in a lot of pain, (you assume, anyway), that pain medicine they’re getting probably makes them tired, too. That’s good, though. Right now they need to take it easy.

You nod. “I bet. Seems like you’re healing okay, though, or at least starting to. No complications, right?” None that anyone’s told you about, and Napstablook looks like they’re doing as well as they can be. “Hey, um… is it okay if I touch your hair again? Like I did yesterday? I know you asked me to yesterday, but I also know Frisk told me you don’t really like your hair being touched. So feel free to say no if you don’t want me to today.”

“Oh… yeah… sorry, I… I don’t like it touched… really… that much. Sometimes… by Mettaton… but… I liked it when you did it, too…” That cyan hue is back on their face again, like they’re flushed and embarrassed. Considering their shy demeanor, that could very well be it. Then why is them just blushing so cute to you…? “If… if you don’t mind… it would be nice…”

“Yeah, I don’t mind at all.” You reach your hand out, and like yesterday, gently run your fingers through their hair. When you reach the bottom, or just feel like it, you start over back at the top, and keep repeating the motion. “Your hair is so soft, it feels like silk. Alphys said you take really good care of yourself; I can tell just by brushing my fingers through your hair.”

The quiet, even sound of their breath meets your ears. Slowly, their eye drifts closed. It’s kind of strange that their chest doesn’t quite move the same way as a human’s – or even like other monsters’ seem to when they breathe – but that just shifts your focus to their lips. That’s where most of their breath and breath sounds seem to come from. “Oh… thanks… that feels… really nice…”

It hasn’t been very long since you got here. Already Napstablook is looking fairly at ease. Although you’re sure they’ve been sleeping most of the day, for some reason, you sort of like that you’re able to help them relax enough to go back to sleep again. “Good. Just concentrate on that and breathing and get your sleep, okay? You’ll feel better sooner.”

“Mm… mhm…” they mumble. Their eye flutters open briefly, as if to get a quick glimpse of you, before closing again. “Tired…”

There’s a tug at your sleeve, and when you look down, Frisk has their hand on the fabric. They give you a big smile before signing something. This sign is actually one you know; you’re surprised that they’ve used it, though.

“Oh… you… want me to sing?” You tilt your head slightly. Why would Frisk want you to sing??

They nod, then gesture their head toward the robot on the bed.

_Oh._ For Napstablook. To help them sleep.

Well, what else can you really do but agree? You give them a small shrug before clearing your throat. “Okay, but I don’t really know any lullabies, and I’m not that great. You’re not allowed to blame me if I break anyone’s ears,” you tease.

Frisk giggles, and appears to stand their ground.

Looks like you’re gonna sing for Napstablook.

“ _Please excuse me_

_I’m not thinking clear_

_It must just be stress_

_But I likely shouldn’t be here_

_I’m such a mess_

_I never really ever know what to say_

_When all of my emotions get in the way_

_I’m just trying to get us on the same page_

_I always get it better right afterwards_

_When all the wrong impressions are said and heard_

_How come I can never get the right words I need to convey?_

_Wish I could explain_

_The things that I have to work out_

_I don’t feel right_

_What has come over me?_

_I’m about_ _t_ _o lose my mind_

_I never really ever know what to say_

_When all of my emotions get in the way_

_I’m just trying to get us on the same page_

_I always get it better right afterwards_

_When all the wrong impressions are said and heard_

_How come I can never get the right words to convey?_

_W_ _ish I could explain_

_Can I let the trees do the talking?_

_Can I let the ground do the walking?_

_Can I let the sky fill what’s missing in?_

_Can I let my mouth do the listening?_

_The listening–_

_I never really ever know what to say_

_When all of my emotions get in the way_

_I’m just trying to get us on the same page_

_I always get it better right afterwards_

_When all the wrong impressions are said and heard_

_How come I can never get the right words to convey_

_W_ _ish I could explain_

_What I mean to say._ ”

You keep your voice fairly soft and slow as you sing, and you continue to run your fingers through Napstablook’s hair as well. If doing that relaxes them and Frisk was hoping your singing would as well, maybe it’s worth a shot? They might really get to sleep easier if you do both.

By the end of the song, Napstablook’s eyes are barely open. They look over at you just long enough to murmur, “… Pretty…” before their eyes close completely. The same sound from yesterday fills the air – that slight whirring that Mettaton said was them snoring. It’s still just as adorable as it was the other day.

After about a minute of that, Mettaton cautiously speaks up. His voice is hushed. “Oh, darling, they’re right. Your voice is lovely.”

“Nah…” You snort and keep playing with their hair a little bit. “Have you heard _yourself_ sing? I’m nowhere near your level.”

“Well, yes, but I’m a professional. I’ve been doing this practically since before I was made.” Mettaton gives you a smug look, and yet, somehow his smile is genuine. “Don’t worry, sweetheart, I’m not going to be volunteering you to come onstage with me or anything like that. You’ve just got that sort of voice that’s… unadorned, natural, raw. How do I even explain it – it’s like, do you know that some people who are married, they’ll love their spouse’s voice even if it’s God-awful? _Your_ voice, I think, is the kind of thing they must hear in place of somebody’s atrocious singing. It’s not flashy or perfect, but it’s beautiful in its simplicity. You know, sort of like… like country life.”

When you roll your eyes and they land on Frisk, the child is nodding eagerly at you. What comes next is a round of sign-language clapping. Which is nice, though, since it doesn’t make any noise and won’t undo what you just did getting Napstablook to sleep. Do they seriously agree with him?? Your voice isn’t _that_ good. Your voice really isn’t good at all. The one thing Mettaton got right is that your voice is simple.

At last you just raise your hands in defeat. Even if you don’t believe them, there’s really no use in arguing. Not only might it wake Napstablook back up, it seems neither of them know the meaning of the words _give up._ “Okay, okay, whatever, guys.” You put your focus back on Napstablook in an attempt to ignore the other two, although you’re still smiling.

After a moment of silence, while you just watch Napstablook’s lips move with their breathing, you hear Toriel speak up. “You know, they are both right, my child. Even if your voice isn’t polished, it’s pleasant to listen to. What’s more,” she adds as she flips a page in her book, seeming to know you might protest, “your singing did relax Napstablook enough for them to fall asleep. Now, I do not know them very well myself, but from what I do know, not many things can make them feel so calm.”

“… U-uh…” You’re blushing again. Geez, why is everyone being so nice to you? Don’t a lot of people lightly rib their friends over stuff like this? You can’t help but keep smiling, though. It’s been a while since you’ve seen or talked to the same people more than a day in a row, other than your boss and some of the resource center’s regulars. Already these guys are practically jumping to make you feel welcome. It’s… nice. It makes you feel warm and feel like you want to treat them the same way. “Thanks, Toriel… I guess that makes sense. It’s just – most people don’t think much of my voice. It’s not even a big deal, you know? So…”

“Maybe it’s not a big deal, in the grand scheme of things,” Mettaton speaks up. He’s pulled his phone out and is probably posting something on his social media. “So what if it’s not? It doesn’t cost anything to say something nice to someone. Especially someone as sweet as you.” His eyes dart up for a quick second, and he flashes you the same million-dollar smile he gives everyone else. “Darling, I get the sense you’re very much used to being kind to others, and the sense that not many people are unnecessarily kind to you in the same way. There’s nothing wrong with accepting a compliment even if it’s something small, you know.” The corners of his mouth tug upward even more as he glances down at his cousin. “If they were awake, I’m sure Blooky would be saying the same things we are. Tell me, what good would it _really_ do to say something mean to you? Over something that we both agree isn’t a big deal?”

_Wow._ It’s just a bit overwhelming to have somebody saying something like that to you. All of that is stuff you find yourself thinking on a day-to-day basis – that it takes very little effort to just treat people kindly, that people _should_ feel good about themselves even over something tiny, that it doesn’t help anyone to be needlessly rude. The fact that Mettaton decided to add on that he thinks Napstablook would feel the same way just makes your face burn hotter. “Yeah… it wouldn’t do any good…” You return the smile, although yours is a little weaker than his is. “Thanks for reminding me. It’s just, I mean… there’s nothing wrong with some harmless teasing and stuff either, and nothing wrong with not saying anything at all. Yeah?”

“Of course, sweetheart, nothing wrong with either of those things. But given the shade of your face, well, I’d say our few words made a difference to you. Am I right?”

“Okaaaay…” you laugh, and you absently wrap a few strands of Napstablook’s hair around your finger. Does he really think they would say such nice things about your singing, too…? “You win, you win. You’re right.”

Mettaton gives you a grin. “Now, say cheese!”

Before you can say anything at all, there’s a loud click, and that smile of his only gets wider.

Well, there’s another picture of you and Napstablook that’s going up on his social media for the world to see.

Strangely enough, you don’t really mind that.


End file.
